James Smith is currently Chairman of Shell UK. He has been with Shell since 1983 and has worked in all the Group's major businesses. Until the end of 2003 he was on the Shell Chemicals leadership team as head of technology, strategy and sustainable development. He was then head of resourcing, which principally involved ensuring there was a highly talented and diverse group of leaders for the top 200 jobs in Shell.

Much of his early career was in upstream oil and gas production, latterly in business development. He lived for 4 1/2 years in South-East Asia, in Malaysia and Brunei. He has also been extensively involved in Shell business in a number of Middle Eastern countries and in the US. In addition he was MD of Shell’s downstream business in Brunei and chaired Shell’s global catalyst business during a period of restructuring.

James has a degree in physics and is a chartered accountant.

Before joining Shell he worked with Accenture.

He is married with one son. His hobbies include tennis, golf, skiing, hill walking and gardening.