Shell will not alter policies, strategies

Shell will not alter its policies or strategies in the wake of high oil prices resulting from the war fears in Iraq as well as shortages due to the strike in the Venezuelan oil industry.

Iain Everingham, Shell's country chairman for Dubai and the northern emirates also added that the current high price of oil was not only due to political uncertainty in the Middle East, but was due largely to the shortages being experienced in world oil supply as a result of the strike in the Venezuelan oil industry.

In response to a question in connection with the political uncertainty in the region, he said, "Shell's activities in the Middle East have spanned more than a century and during that time we have experienced many instances of turbulence and political uncertainty."

On the competition in the fuel and lubricants market in the UAE, Everingham noted that Shell had always had to operate against stiff competition wherever the company has been doing business worldwide.

"Indeed, we believe that competition is a very good thing, for both for our business and, most importantly, for our customers," he added.

Shell is working alongside Dubai Quality Group (DQG) in support of the Emirates Business-women's Award Scheme, which was launched in October.

Everingham said that Shell has sound reasons for backing women in business.

"Women represent 50 per cent of the world's population, and progress for women in business has been relatively slow - until fairly recently.

"As a global player, Shell fully acknowledges the fact that today women are developing as business leaders and will, increasingly, go on to hold business positions at the highest levels," he added.

Everingham also answered questions on Shell's environmental initiatives, referring specifically to the Shell Better Environment Awards (BEA) scheme, now in its seventh year, and Enviro-Spellathon, which is to be launched in Dubai in February.