Technical Careers - Employee Profiles

"I am still really impressed with the size and technical complexity of the Pernis refinery. I really enjoy working in such a unique place."

- Why did you decide to work for Shell?

- How would you describe your role at Shell?

- How would you describe your typical day?

- Have you travelled to other countries/regions within your role?

- What do you like most about the job?

Location: Pernis, Netherlands
Studied: Mechanical Engineering, PhD in Reliability/Materials Science.
Where: Technical University Delft, Holland
Joined Shell: August 1989

The key thing for me is the passion for technology, which I consider to be Shell's core business. That and the possibilities offered by such a company that is highly professional, has a wealth of technical facilities, many different jobs and great opportunities for growth.

As a Production Unit Manager, I lead the operation of a large, complex and technically advanced production facility. This means managing safety and looking after staff first and foremost. Optimising the performance of the unit in terms of reliability, technical performance, cost and margin generated are also priorities.  

The job of Production Unit Manager is a broad operational/managerial role where anything that affects the unit has the potential to be on the agenda. I start the day with a morning meeting to assess the current status of the production units under my responsibility. Production volumes, technical issues, maintenance priorities and safety incidents are reported during this meeting. Particularly hectic are the days when the plant's technical issues jeopardise production. The crisis management that then has to take place is exciting as an exception but not recommended as a routine!

I've not travelled much in my current role as I'm very much linked to the unit. However in the past, I travelled the globe to customers all over the place to deliver advice in my field to both Shell and non-Shell companies in the industry.

I like the broadness of my current job in that I encounter all aspects of management. Also I am still really impressed with the size and technical complexity of the Pernis refinery. I really enjoy working in such a unique place.