By the time you read this, Marno de Jong who just completed his tenure as Executive Vice President Nigeria and Country Chair may be sitting in another executive chair in the Middle East, the latest stop in an active career in the energy industry that has taken him across countries and continents as a Shell employee.
So it was that, as he was treated to a rousing sendforth to mark the end of his six-year plus stay in Nigeria, Marno pointedly advised the guests: “Don’t place a bet that you won’t see me in Nigeria again. If there is one thing I have learned, it is never to underestimate where life’s journey might take you next.”
The guests took note and applauded an energy leader with more than three decades of service in Shell building people and projects.
Marno’s career is the stuff of dreams. He has served in the United Kingdom, Venezuela, Nigeria, Australia, the United States, the Netherlands, Malaysia and Indonesia.
A first Class graduate of Physics, Marno joined Shell in 1992 as a Project Engineer and has served in Project Delivery, Engineering, Commercial, Upstream Development, and Country and Asset leadership roles.
Dutch national Marno has been to Nigeria twice, so anyone who is moved to bet that they won’t see him again in these shores does so at their own risk. He first came to Nigeria in 1998 as Head of Front-end Engineering and left for further roles in Australia and Indonesia before returning in 2020 as Senior Vice President Nigeria.
He recalls: “At the time of my first posting to Nigeria, I could never have imagined that more than two decades later I would return to lead Shell’s businesses and spend some of the most rewarding years of my career here.”
Marno was busy here. Under his leadership, Nigeria’s flagship Bonga asset sustained availability above the 92% target. He played key roles in major capital investment decisions, including the Bonga North and HI offshore gas projects which are currently being executed.
He also sat on the Board of Nigeria LNG contributing to the implementation of NLNG Train 7. One of the highlights of his time in Nigeria is the divestment of The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Limited.
He says: “We successfully completed the SPDC divestment and laid the foundations for a new future through Renaissance.” Marno later became Executive Vice President Nigeria and took up the additional role of Country Chair last year on the retirement of Osagie Okunbor.
Colleagues, industry leaders, and government officials praised Marno for his eventful service in Nigeria at the sendforth which was held in Lagos. “The way Marno drives performance is admirable,” said Chief Executive Officer Shell plc, Wael Sawan in a recorded farewell message sent to the event.
In another farewell felicitation, Minister of Trade, and Investment Jumoke Oduwole said the investments by Shell during his tenure aligned with the Renewed Hope agenda of the Nigerian Government.
Shell’s Upstream President, Peter Costello said: “He is calm under pressure. He is thoughtful in his judgement. He brings a strong performance mindset, but he also creates space for people to speak up.” Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Bayo Ojulari who was represented by Executive Vice President Upstream Udobong Ntia, commended Marno for helping to “advance the vision of positioning gas as energy for Nigerians.”
Marno became part of history at the end of his duty tour of Nigeria. In a highlight at the sendforth, Marno, elegantly dressed in a Nigerian senator attire, handed over the baton of leadership of Shell Nigeria to Elohor Aiboni, who herself had worked with him when she was Managing Director of SNEPCo.
She left on international assignment to Brunei in 2024 and returns to take up a historic appointment as the first female to lead Shell’s businesses in Nigeria, and the first Nigerian to combine the roles of Executive Vice President Nigeria and Country Chair.
She said: “What I have always appreciated about Marno is that he combines performance with care. He is very clear on outcomes, but he is also deeply respectful of people. He challenges teams to raise the bar, but he does it in a way that builds confidence, ownership, and trust.”
Marno’s response to the kind words was a humble appreciation of the teamwork which he said was responsible for the milestones in his time at the helm.
He said: “When I returned in 2020, I arrived at a time of enormous change, uncertainty, and opportunity. Looking back today, what stands out most is not the challenges we faced, but the people who helped us overcome them. Together, we have written a new chapter for Shell in Nigeria.”
Marno also recognised the role of his family in his movements around the world. “Anyone who has worked in this industry knows that careers like ours are never individual journeys,” he said. “They are family journeys. Mickey and the children have supported every move, every assignment, and every unexpected change of plan. Whatever success I have enjoyed, I have not achieved it alone.”
The success story stands out in his Nigerian experience. “Nigeria taught me many things,” he said. “It taught me patience. It taught me resilience. It taught me the importance of listening. And above all, it reinforced my belief that progress happens when people come together around a shared purpose.”
No one can sum it up better than the two-tenure veteran: Shell will continue to power progress in Nigeria.
