Linda Cook (businesswoman) facts for kids
Linda Zarda Cook (born June 4, 1958) is an American businesswoman. She is currently the CEO of Harbour Energy, a large energy company, a role she has held since 2014. Before that, she was the CEO of Shell Gas & Power, which was part of Royal Dutch Shell, until 2009. In September 2007, Forbes magazine named her the 44th most powerful woman in the world.
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About Linda Cook
Early Life and Education
Linda Cook grew up in Shawnee, Kansas. She went to the University of Kansas and graduated in 1980 with a degree in petroleum engineering. This field of study focuses on how to find and produce oil and natural gas.
Working at Shell
Linda Cook started her career at Shell in 1980 as a reservoir engineer in the United States. She took on more important roles in finding and producing oil and gas for Shell U.S.A. In 1998, she and her family moved to the Netherlands, where she led Shell International EP. From 2000 to 2003, she was the CEO of the Gas & Power division. After leading Shell Canada for a year, she returned to her previous role at Gas & Power.
In May 2009, Shell announced that Linda Cook would be leaving the company. This happened after she was not chosen to be the next chief executive of Shell. She had worked for Shell for 29 years.
Other Leadership Roles
Linda Cook also served on the board of directors for The Boeing Company starting in 2003. A board of directors helps guide a company's decisions. She held four different roles on the board, including leading the finance committee. She left the Boeing board in April 2015. Cook has also been on the boards of directors for other companies like KBR and Marathon Oil.
Leading Harbour Energy
Since July 2014, Linda Cook has been the CEO of Harbour Energy. In March 2021, Harbour Energy combined with two other companies, Chrysaor Holdings and Premier Oil. This merger made Harbour Energy the largest company producing oil and gas in the North Sea.
