David Loughman

David Loughman was appointed Vice President of Downstream Projects for Shell China Ltd with effect from 1 September 2012. He is based in Beijing. This role includes representing Shell in the proposed integrated refinery and chemicals plant project in Zhejiang Province, in partnership with CNPC and QPI of Qatar.

David joined Shell in 1982 as an exploration geologist in the UK’s Southern Gas Basin and subsequently led the first North Sea Business opportunities team in Shell UK Expro. He holds MA and PhD degrees in geology from the UK's Oxford and Birmingham universities, having been a Shell research scholar at Birmingham University.

He has extensive international experience including general management roles in Africa, Europe, United States and now China. From 2007 to 2012, he was Country Chair Norway and Managing Director of A/S Norske Shell, a role he had also performed from 1998 – 2000. From 2000, he was Natural Gas Director of Shell UK before moving in July 2002 to the United States as Vice President and General Manager of exploration and development in Shell Exploration and Production Company.

He has worked in all four main business areas in Shell, including assignments as General Manager of Societe Shell du Cameroun and in Chemicals as General Manager of Shell Chemicals Europe BV and the global Styrene/Polyurethanes business. Most recently, he was also Vice President Commercial, Upstream Europe and deputised as Executive Vice President Upstream Europe in 2009.

David is Welsh and is married with two adult children and three step-children and has his home base in Norway. In his spare time he makes valiant efforts to improve his cross-country skiing abilities.