Graham Benjamin's Page

Thanks, Graham.

I recognise all the names you mention there and knew Howard, Peter and Gordon quite well. I joined the Shell training department in 1989 as part of the bold initiative based on a belief that the best way to save money across the company at a time of low oil price was to invest more in training.

The belief didn't survive very long. In fact, looking back, it felt like arriving at a fabulous party just as the beer had run out and all the guests were leaving. You may have a different perspective but it seems to me, BP managed to pull off a real transformation in the 1990s, Shell never did (in spite of courageous work by Mark Moody Stuart). Even the BP transformation hasn’t endured.

My rather pessimistic view was one of my reasons for proposing the organisational learning theme for the May O&P. It seems the idea is older and wiser but also alive and well.

I hope you will enjoy the site. (Are you really AMED member number 52?)

David