Reports

Marie-Christine Johannes

Marie-Christine Johannes

Marie-Christine Johannes is a Senior EU Affairs Advisor at Shell, based in Belgium, with a significant role in shaping Shell’s policy and advocacy strategies within the European Union. Her expertise centers on the EU Green Deal, industrial decarbonisation, emissions trading, carbon leakage protection, and the advancement of carbon sinks. With a deep understanding of the complexities of European energy policy, Johannes leverages her position to guide Shell’s engagement with EU institutions and stakeholders, ensuring the company’s interests are represented in critical policy discussions. She is recognized for her active participation in high-level meetings and expert groups, contributing to Shell’s ambition to become a net-zero emissions business by 2050. Johannes’s professional network extends across major European industry associations, reflecting her influence and reach within the energy and industrial sectors. Her work involves not only direct lobbying but also the orchestration of advocacy campaigns, policy events, and strategic partnerships, positioning Shell at the forefront of Europe’s energy transition debates. As a leader in Shell’s EU Affairs team, Johannes is instrumental in navigating regulatory challenges, promoting sustainable investments, and fostering dialogue between industry and policymakers to drive forward the agenda of decarbonisation and innovation within the EU framework

Marie-Christine Johannes, through her role at Shell Companies, is deeply involved in lobbying efforts that align Shell’s business interests with the evolving regulatory landscape of the European Union, with a particular focus on the UK’s strategic energy and industrial objectives1. Shell’s lobbying activities, under Johannes’s guidance, are multifaceted and aim to influence EU policy in ways that support the UK’s position as a leader in energy innovation, decarbonisation, and industrial competitiveness.

The primary intention of Johannes’s lobbying is to secure favorable regulatory conditions for Shell’s operations, particularly in areas such as hydrogen, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and renewable energy—sectors where the UK seeks to maintain or enhance its global leadership. By advocating for policies that support large-scale investments in clean technologies, Johannes works to ensure that the UK remains an attractive destination for Shell’s future projects and partnerships. This includes pushing for robust carbon pricing mechanisms, incentives for industrial decarbonisation, and frameworks that facilitate cross-border energy trade, all of which directly benefit the UK’s energy sector and broader economy.

Beyond the overt goals, Johannes’s lobbying also serves more nuanced interests. By positioning Shell as a key partner in the EU’s energy transition, she helps the UK maintain its influence within European policy circles post-Brexit. This involves ensuring that UK-based Shell operations are well-integrated into EU initiatives, such as the European Green Deal and the Clean Hydrogen Alliance, thereby safeguarding market access and regulatory alignment. Johannes’s efforts also extend to protecting the UK’s industrial base from carbon leakage and ensuring that the UK’s regulatory approaches are recognized and respected within the EU, which is crucial for maintaining the competitiveness of UK industries.

In summary, Johannes’s lobbying for Shell is not only about advancing corporate interests but also about reinforcing the UK’s strategic position in Europe’s energy and industrial landscape. Her work supports the UK’s ambitions for technological leadership, economic resilience, and regulatory influence, ensuring that Shell—and by extension, the UK—remains a central player in shaping the future of European energy policy

Marie-Christine Johannes has been actively involved in a wide array of lobbying activities designed to promote Shell’s—and by extension, the UK’s—interests within the EU. Her activities include attending high-level meetings with EU Commissioners, Cabinet members, and Directors-General, as well as participating in expert groups and industry forums. These engagements are strategically targeted to influence policy developments in areas critical to Shell and the UK, such as hydrogen, industrial decarbonisation, and energy transition investments.

Some of the notable meetings attended by Johannes and her team include:

  • 11 March 2025, Brussels: Discussion on the role of hydrogen for heavy-duty vehicles with the Cabinet of Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra. This meeting contributed to shaping EU policy on hydrogen infrastructure, directly benefiting Shell’s UK operations and supporting the UK’s ambition to be a hydrogen leader.

  • 3 March 2025, Telephone: Dialogue on gas in Ukraine with DG Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood. This engagement is significant for the UK’s energy security and its strategic interests in European gas markets.

  • 27 January 2025, Brussels: Meeting on the Clean Industrial Deal and the Decarbonisation Accelerator Act with the DG Secretariat-General. Outcomes from this meeting influenced the EU’s approach to industrial decarbonisation, aligning with UK priorities for clean industry growth.

  • 17 January 2025, Brussels: Lead markets and industrial decarbonisation discussions with DG Climate Action. The UK’s industrial sectors stand to gain from favorable policies shaped in such meetings.

  • 14 June 2024, Brussels: Energy transition investments with the Cabinet of Commissioner Kadri Simson. This meeting helped secure investment frameworks that support UK-based clean energy projects.

  • 11 June 2024, Berlin: Hydrogen policy dialogue with the Cabinet of Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič. The outcomes reinforced the UK’s leadership in hydrogen technology and integration into EU markets.

  • 21 March 2023, Brussels: Presentation of Shell Energy Security Scenarios 2030 to the Cabinet of Commissioner Kadri Simson. The discussion influenced EU perspectives on gas markets, with implications for UK energy strategy.

  • 23 February 2023, Brussels: Clean energy investments of Shell with Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans. This meeting supported the UK’s ambitions for clean energy leadership.

Through these and other engagements, Johannes has played a pivotal role in shaping EU policy outcomes that align with Shell’s and the UK’s interests. The influence of these meetings is evident in subsequent policy developments, such as increased support for hydrogen infrastructure, enhanced incentives for industrial decarbonisation, and the integration of UK priorities into EU energy frameworks. Johannes’s activities also include participation in expert groups like the EU Energy Platform Industry Advisory Group and the Working Group on the Implementation of the ETS and MRV Maritime, further amplifying her impact on policy decisions relevant to the UK

No direct personal phone number or private email is publicly available; professional contact should be made through Shell’s official channels or LinkedIn.

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