10th Annual Marketors City Lecture

Philip Watts, chairman of the Committee of Managing Directors of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group on 'brand and reputation'.

Philip Watts, Chairman of the Committee of Managing Directors of the Royal Dutch/ Shell Group, gave The 10th Annual Marketors City Lecture on 25 September 2002. The lecture, entitled Earning Trust - creating value from brand and reputation’, was held in the Old Library in London's Guildhall, and was opened by the Lord Mayor, Alderman Michael Oliver.

More than 150 people braved the chaos of the tube strike to hear Mr Watts' thoughts on, among other matters, the importance of sustainable development. He said: "The Shell brand is a wonderful inheritance - a source of pride for Shell people, of competitive advantage and of value for our shareholders.

"But, as we all know, inheritances can be squandered as well as built on. Reputation is an account in credit with our customers and stakeholders - the balance can be drawn down as well as augmented."

There was plenty of time to debate the lecture afterwards over refreshments in the Crypt. The lecture was hosted by the Worshipful Company of Marketors, and supported by the Economist and Cass Business School.

Date of Article: 11/10/2002