With the recent handover of the chairmanship of the Board of Directors of Brunei Shell Joint Venture Companies (BSJV) to His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, His Majesty has underscored the need for BSJV to boost their investments to support Brunei Darussalam’s economic development.

This initiative aligns with His Majesty’s vision for accelerated economic progress, especially in the years leading up to the Diamond Jubilee of His Majesty’s ascension to the throne, which will be celebrated in 2027, according to a press release from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

His Majesty, as Chairman of the Board of Directors of BSJV, chaired the 411th Meeting of the Board of Directors of Brunei Shell Petroleum Sendirian Berhad (BSP) and the 189th Meeting of the Board of Directors of Brunei Shell Marketing Sendirian Berhad (BSM) for the Second Quarter of 2024 on Thursday morning. These meetings followed the 222nd Meeting of the Board of Directors of Brunei LNG Sendirian Berhad (Brunei LNG) and the 108th Meeting of the Board of Directors of Brunei Gas Carriers Sendirian Berhad (BGC), held on Wednesday.

Upon arrival at the PMO, His Majesty was welcomed by Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah and Deputy Minister (Energy) at the Prime Minister’s Office Awang Haji Mohamad Azmi bin Haji Mohd Hanifah, both serving as members of the BSJV Board of Directors.

Key stakeholders, including Shareholder Directors representing Shell PLC, members of the respective Leadership Teams at BSP and BSM, and representatives of the Government of His Majesty, were also present at the meeting.

His Majesty’s chairmanship of these meetings reflects the monarch’s deep commitment to the development of the oil and gas sector, including both upstream and downstream industries, which are crucial to Brunei Darussalam’s economy. BSJV companies, particularly BSP, have significantly contributed to the nation’s economic development over the past 95 years, beginning with the first oil discovery in Seria in 1929.