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Shell slashes 6,500 staff

The protracted downturn in oil prices is seeing another energy major make swingeing cuts to its global workforce. Royal Dutch Shell’s latest quarterly results saw net income slide 25% to $3.9bn and ceo Ben van Beurden was quick to announce massive cuts to protect the company’s bottom line.

“We are anticipating some 6,500 staff and direct contractor reductions in 2015,” van Beurden said.

Shell also announced Thursday it would reduce capital investment by an additional $3bn this year, bringing the total reduction to 20% over 2014 levels.

Van Beurden maintained Shell is “delivering a competitive performance in today’s oil market downturn”.

Sam Chambers

Starting out with the Informa Group in 2000 in Hong Kong, Sam Chambers became editor of Maritime Asia magazine as well as East Asia Editor for the world’s oldest newspaper, Lloyd’s List. In 2005 he pursued a freelance career and wrote for a variety of titles including taking on the role of Asia Editor at Seatrade magazine and China correspondent for Supply Chain Asia. His work has also appeared in The Economist, The New York Times, The Sunday Times and The International Herald Tribune.
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