No Shell game, it’s “functional reporting” for 650 lawyers in 50 countries

In a brief profile of Beat Hess, Group Legal Director for the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies, the Practical Law Company noted that the company has approximately 650 lawyers worldwide (excluding tax lawyers). Those lawyers have offices in over 50 countries.

Hess takes much credit for having all Shell lawyers functionally report, directly or indirectly, to him as Legal Director. I emphasize the term “functional reporting,” because it appears synonymous with “centralized” reporting. Everyone in the function reports to the head of the function.

Hess has also strived to create a “single global legal functional budget,” so that all costs of the budget, presumably, from around the world roll up to be his responsibility.