Technology has moved from the back office to the boardroom. At Shell, this shift is embodied by Robbert van Rutten, the company’s first CIO to report directly to the CEO. In a strategic dialogue for Management Scope with Frank Schmidt, Vice-President of Shell Global at CGI, Van Rutten outlines how a "business-backed, technology-forward" approach is crucial for navigating the energy transition.

The decision to elevate the CIO role to report directly to CEO Wael Sawan is a definitive acknowledgment that technology is no longer just a support function—it is a primary driver of business strategy.

"The change in the reporting line recognizes that the impact of technology is undeniable and creates an opportunity to accelerate”, Van Rutten tells Schmidt. “Five to ten years ago, we developed IT strategies; now we develop business strategies that are digitally enabled.The focus has shifted from automating processes to reinventing the business to drive transformation and remain competitive."

Bridging the “energy trilemma” with digitalization

For Shell, the mission is dual: optimizing traditional assets to ensure security and affordability, while simultaneously building the low-carbon energy systems of the future. Digitalization serves as the bridge connecting these two worlds.

"In our existing business, our traditional source of income, everything revolves around productivity, cost efficiency, safety, and CO2 reduction," explains Van Rutten. He highlights the orchestration of satellite technology, drones, and data analytics to tackle methane reduction—an integration of technologies that was unimaginable a decade ago.

Concurrently, in the realm of renewables like wind and hydrogen, digitalization allows Shell to design operations from the ground up.

"Digitalization plays a crucial role in modeling, optimizing, and scaling up these new energy systems […] to address the challenges of the energy trilemma: access to energy, affordability and sustainability."

A shift in philosophy: "Market standards, unless"

To achieve the agility required for this transition, Shell is undergoing a significant cultural shift away from custom-built software toward standardization and interoperability. The guiding philosophy has evolved to “market standards, unless.”

A prime example of this collaborative ecosystem approach is the OSDU Data Platform (Open Subsurface Data Universe). By leveraging this open-source standard—which CGI actively supports and contributes to—Shell can standardize data exchange and improve interoperability across the energy sector, driving down costs while retaining the ability to apply unique, proprietary algorithms for competitive advantage.

Pragmatic innovation: AI and the "North Star"

While artificial intelligence is a major focal point, Shell avoids a "one-size-fits-all" strategy. Instead, the approach is pragmatic and business led.

"We set bold goals, a North Star, but we achieve them through small, incremental steps that generate immediate value," says Van Rutten. "This allows us to avoid large-scale, cumbersome implementations, remain flexible, and ensure that the technology does not outpace the business."

Looking ahead, Van Rutten identifies agentic AI and the democratization of IT via "DIY" (low-code/no-code) platforms as key game changers. This empowers employees to build their own solutions, provided they have access to high-quality, trusted data.

The power of partnership

Navigating this complex transformation requires a collaborative ecosystem. Van Rutten emphasizes that Shell actively seeks partners who deliver not just software, but strategic value and deep domain expertise.

"We actively seek partnerships, such as with CGI, to help us achieve our goals," says Robbert van Rutten. " The key is to formulate a proposition that works for both parties. With CGI, this means that they not only supply technology, but also use their expertise to train our employees, make future-proof data infrastructures, and make AI solutions practical."

This partnership is particularly vital in the domain of data management. For example, during large-scale migrations, CGI assists Shell in deploying solutions to ensure data is clean, standardized and accessible, refining the essential fuel required for AI adoption and informed decision-making.

Turn complexity into competitive advantage

Shell’s journey confirms that AI-powered, outcome-driven operations are the next performance frontier. CGI helps organizations navigate this shift by moving beyond technology implementation to outcome-based managed services that deliver measurable business results. We combine deep industry expertise with applied automation to help reduce operational costs, continuously optimize reliability and accelerate sustainable transformation with accountability and speed.

Read the full interview

The complete conversation between Frank Schmidt and Robbert van Rutten was originally published in Management Scope.