Ex-Shell executive Huibert Vigeveno moves to green energy player MET Group

Swiss-based energy company MET Group has named former Shell executive Huibert Vigeveno as its new Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), effective 1 January 2026. Current Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and controlling shareholder Benjamin Lakatos will step into the role of Executive Chairman, retaining majority ownership and oversight of the company’s long-term direction.

As Singapore-based Keppel Infrastructure, the sustainable energy and infrastructure arm of Keppel Corporation, owns 10% of the company’s shares, MET’s development may have ripple effects on the energy sector in Singapore.

This appointment comes at a pivotal moment as MET seeks to boost performance, extend its customer base, and strengthen its global footprint. With the added context that MET is also aiming to bolster its renewable energy generation as a business strategy, Vigeveno’s robust background offers a bridge to accelerate growth globally.

Vigeveno spent three decades at Shell, most recently as a member of its global executive committee and Director of Downstream, Renewables and Energy Solutions. There, he led businesses spanning traditional fuels, low-carbon products, and energy transition initiatives.

Close to a decade ago, he oversaw Shell’s US$53 billion integration of BG Group and served as Chairman in China for three years, gaining exposure to one of the world’s fastest-growing energy markets and acquiring conversational Mandarin.

This move appears aligned with Vigeveno’s interests. After all, Vigeveno was part of Shell’s leadership during a period when the energy giant faced criticism for its slow pivot away from fossil fuels and inconsistent messaging on renewables. Joining a mid-sized, entrepreneurial firm like MET, which is less encumbered by legacy fossil fuel assets or bureaucracy, may give him greater room to push investments in renewables and natural gas as less pollutive energy alternatives.

MET’s unusual ownership structure makes this transition even more interesting. With 90% of shares held by employees, Vigeveno will need to balance the expectations of his predecessor, and the expectations of a workforce with a personal stake in the company, while also out his own leadership path and space.

Current CEO Benjamin Lakatos, who has led MET since founding it in 2007, built the group from a Budapest-based gas trader into a €24 billion (S$36 billion) revenue enterprise spanning 20 countries, 32 national gas markets, and 44 international trading hubs. His move to Executive Chairman suggests continued oversight of the company he founded, but with less day-to-day pressure than the GCEO role demands.

“Huibert’s exceptional leadership skills, strategic vision, and operational expertise will drive MET’s future aspirations to new heights,” said Lakatos. “I am confident that his appointment will enhance MET’s global position while staying true to our roots as an independent, entrepreneurial company.”

For Singapore, the implications extend beyond a routine change in European leadership. Through Keppel Infrastructure’s 10% stake, Singapore holds a minority foothold in MET’s future — and is the only company globally to do so. This positions Keppel to benefit if MET leans further into renewables and expands into Asia-Pacific under Vigeveno’s leadership.

Given the relationship between the two companies, Singapore could naturally emerge as a hub for MET’s regional ambitions. That would align with the Singapore Green Plan 2030, which targets 30% of the nation’s projected energy supply to come from low-carbon, imported sources. It could also dovetail with broader developments, such as EDP Renewables’ plans to build a clean energy hub in Singapore for the Asia-Pacific region.

The payoff, however, depends on execution.