Istvan Kapitany to step down as EVP of Shell

After a 37 year career, the executive vice president has confirmed he will leave the mobility company on July 1.

Istvan Kapitany, global executive vice president of Shell, has announced it will step down on July 1 after a 37-year tenure at the company.

Starting his career in Shell Hungary, Kapitany became Retail General Manager in little over two years, prior to becoming Retail Business Consultant for the UK. After this, he took care of the regional business of South Africa for three years and went back to Hungary to continue as its CEO and General Manager for Central and Eastern Europe and then for Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

He later stepped up as Vice President of Europe Retail and then helmed Penzoil Quaker State Co. and Shell Lubricants as their President. For his last 10 years at the company, Kapitany acted as Global Executive Vice President of Shell Mobility, Chairman of Shell Germany, and Board Director of Raizen.

“When I joined Shell in Budapest in 1987, I would never have imagined the fantastic global journey that was ahead of me – the different roles that have taken me to wonderful countries around the world where I’ve had the opportunity to work with so many exceptional people,” stated Kapitany in a LinkedIn post.

Since being appointed as global leader of the firm, it has grown to over 500,000 people and more than 45,000 retail outlets in 85 countries. In addition, Kapitany represents the brand’s focus shift on alternative fuels, with more than 50,000 public operative Shell Recharge EV Charge Points in 30 countries.

David Bunch, current Chairman of Shell UK, was named as his successor, but it is still not clear if Kapitany will retire or move to another company.