royaldutchshellplc.com

Introduction

by John
November 14, 2018December 30, 2023

John Donovan, a co-founder of promotional games company Don Marketing: Photo taken in 2015.

By John Donovan

In 1979, the company I co-founded, *Don Marketing, created and supplied promotional games that were used to promote petrol sales on the forecourts of all major petrol brands in the UK, including Shell.

In June 1981, we moved into a direct contractual relationship with Shell as a result of a presentation I made at Shell-Mex House in The Strand, the then London HQ of Shell UK Limited.

I put forward a proposal for Shell to launch a legal version of a promotional game called Make Money that Shell had abandoned in the 1960‘s out of concern that it was in breach of UK lottery laws. read more

shellplc.website and its sister non-profit websites royaldutchshellplc.com, royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellenergy.website, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net and shell2004.com are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia feature.

CHAPTER 8: Peace treaty shattered by Shell

by John
October 30, 2018September 21, 2021

The peace did not last for long. Shell offered information about me to a third party company that could only be construed as being damaging to my reputation. I served notice on Shell that this breach by Shell amounted to a repudiation of the agreement. Shell threatened to take related legal action, but tellingly, did not do so. Hostilities resumed with subsequent news coverage, including the above Sunday Times article.

In 2001, a third party company approached Shell to confirm that Shell would not object to the launch on the Internet of a paperless Make Money type game. My involvement as a consultant to the company was disclosed to Shell. read more

CHAPTER 10: Domain name battle with Shell resulting from the reserves scandal

by John
October 30, 2018January 8, 2024

In a spectacular blunder, Shell neglected to register the top-level domain name for the newly merged company Royal Dutch Shell Plc. Shell lawyers discovered, no doubt to their shock and horror, that their most enduring critic had beaten them to the registration of royaldutchshellplc.com. Shell issued proceedings via the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) as reported by the Wall Street Journal (above) but in a spectacular public humiliation, Shell lost the case.

In 2004, a huge scandal engulfed the Royal Dutch Shell Group after it fraudulently overstated its claimed oil and gas reserves – the most important factor in determining the value of an oil company. read more

CHAPTER 13: What prompted the more recent sinister activity?

by John
October 29, 2018September 21, 2021

The above logo is for “CAS” – a shadowy Shell Group Corporate Affairs unit populated by spooks led by former high-level MI6 and FBI officers.

James W.D. Hall is Vice President of Corporate Security, located at Royal Dutch Shell plc’s Global Headquarters in the Netherlands. Hall, a mysterious British Citizen, was described in a June 2017 U.S. court document as “the top executive in Shell’s entire Corporate Security Organization…” He is identified by name in a related article “Spectacular falling out of ‘Security Professionals’ at the top of Shell.” read more

CHAPTER 15: Assisting third parties to challenge Shell

by John
October 28, 2018September 21, 2021

It is a fact that our website has been used to publish public appeals on behalf of a number of parties, including the WWF and Friends of the Earth, who wanted to reach Shell shareholders, Shell employees, or the public. Information about the various public appeals can be found on a Wikipedia archive article from which the above extract is taken.

Royaldutchshellplc.com has been used to publish public appeals on behalf of a number of parties who wanted to reach Shell shareholders and/or Shell employees, or the public e.g. read more

Selection of webpage header images from RoyalDutchShellPlc.com

by John
January 18, 2018June 23, 2022

Selection of related webpage header images from our sister Shell focussed websites, also operated by John Donovan

The webpage header images below provide some further indication of Shell’s past and current activities and its long-term feud with John Donovan, the founder of this and many other Shell-related websites.

As previously stated, Shell did take action several years ago in regard to the alleged wrongful use of trademarks and domain names (including royaldutchshellplc.com and royaldutchshellgroup.com) but lost the case.

Contact john@shellnews.net for more information.

Mirror Image of archival information relating to the Don Marketing / Shell litigation dating back over two decades

by John
October 12, 2017November 2, 2020

Mirror Image from this webpage

RICHARD WISEMAN, RETIRED ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC CHIEF ETHICS AND COMPLIANCE OFFICER. FORMERLY LEGAL DIRECTOR OF SHELL UK LIMITED. MR WISEMAN DEALT WITH THE JOHN DONOVAN/ DON MARKETING vs. SHELL LITIGATION ON BEHALF OF SHELL.

THREATS AND INTIMIDATION BY SHELL DURING PERIOD WISEMAN IN CHARGE OF SHELL UK DEFENCE

A threatening letter from Shell U.K. Managing Director, David Varney (Copied to David Pirret – now a Vice President of Shell International Limited: 21 October 1994

Letter from Shell solicitors DJ Freeman (AKA Kendall Freeman) challenging John Donovan to substantiate allegations about “Shell UK and its lawyers” having “bombarded my company and my family with threats over the years (verbally and in writing.” : 21 May 1998

Response letter from John Donovan substantiating the threats made by Shell and its employees/agents up to May 1998: 25 May 1998

Mark Moody-Stuart, Chairman and Managing Director, The “Shell” Transport and Trading Company, p.l.c. issues threat on behalf of Shell UK Ltd: 9 April 1998

1ST EXAMPLE OF SHELL INTENT TO PREVENT EMBARRASSING INFORMATION FROM REACHING SHAREHOLDERS

Flawed Shell Make Money Game

Mackrell Turner letter to Royds solicitors acting for John Donovan/Don Marketing: 18 May 1994

2ND EXAMPLE OF SHELL INTENT TO PREVENT EMBARRASSING INFORMATION FROM REACHING SHAREHOLDERS

Shell Funding Deed signed by Shell managing director David Varney (now Sir David Varney): 6 July 1995

3RD EXAMPLE OF SHELL INTENT TO PREVENT EMBARRASSING INFORMATION FROM REACHING SHAREHOLDERS

High-level April 1998 correspondence with Shell involving Richard Wiseman (see letter from Jyoti Munsiff – 6 April 1998

Letter from John Donovan to Shell Chairman Mark Moody-Stuart:1 April 1998

Reply letter on behalf of Moody-Stuart from Jyoti Munsiff, Company Secretary, Shell Transport and Trading Company plc: 6 April 1998

Reply letter from Mark Moody-Stuart, Chairman and Managing Director, Shell Transport & Trading Co Plc: 6 April 1998

Reply letter from John Donovan to Mark Moody-Stuart: 14 April 1998

“Yet you are not prepared for the same information to be supplied, even on a confidential basis, to the people who actually own the company – your shareholders. Your decision to keep company members in the dark speaks absolute volumes. So much for the core principle of “openness”. When it comes to the crunch, covering-up a catalogue of misdeeds by Shell managers, despite incontrovertible evidence of flagrant breaches of the principles of honesty and integrity, apparently takes priority.”

Link to “Unloveable Shell, the goddess of oil” Guardian article mentioned in the correspondence (takes time to load but well worth the wait)

Extract from response letter sent to The Guardian by Mark Moody-Stuart

UNDERCOVER ACTIVITY AGAINST THE DONOVAN’S IN THE PERIOD WISEMAN IN CHARGE OF DEFENCE CASE

A number of sinister characters suddenly came on the scene in a short period of time, including an American gentleman who arrived from overseas and tracked down and interviewed our key witnesses, falsely claiming to be a journalist for The European newspaper. Another undercover agent under the name of Christopher Phillips had been caught red-handed illegally opening private mail at our offices. The homes of our solicitor, a key witness and our own home were all burglarised in the run up to the Smart Trial and related documents examined. Shell denied any association with the burglaries and the intimidation of our witnesses.

Copies of a selection of relevant self-explanatory correspondence published below.

Letter to John Donovan from Shell solicitors, DJ Freeman: 16 June 1998

John Donovan letter to Richard Wiseman: 23 June 1998

Richard Wiseman letter to John Donovan: 24 June 1998

Richard Wiseman letter to John Donovan: 1 July 1998

Letter to John Donovan from Shell solicitors DJ Freeman: 3 July 1998

If, nevertheless, the police wish to obtain any further information from my clients or from anyone involved in enquiries on their behalf, including Mr Phillips, then, as has been said on several previous occasions, the fullest of co-operation will be given.

Letter from Richard Wiseman to John Donovan: 9 July 1998

The activities of Mr Phillips have, of course, been admitted.

John Donovan letter to Office for Supervising of Solicitors: 10 July 1998

Letter to John Donovan from Shell solicitors DJ Freeman: 11 August 1998(confirms internal investigation by Shell)

Letter to John Donovan from Shell solicitors DJ Freeman: 26 October 1998 (Confirms an internal investigation by Shell)

AS A SEPARATE ARTICLE

DEFENDING THE COMPANY’S GOOD NAME AND REPUTATION: Richard Wiseman article in OPDirect Magazine: November 1998

FUEL FOR THOUGHT

DEFENDING THE COMPANY’S GOOD NAME AND REPUTATION

There has recently been some publicity surrounding a writ issued against Shell UK by Mr John Donovan, director of a company called Don Marketing, who claims that his company invented the SMART loyalty programme and that he or his company should be compensated for its use. Shell UK is strongly defending the claim, having carefully investigated and discussed it with Mr Donovan and his solicitors. Mr Donovan has been making a number of unpleasant allegations in public and in the press, and has been handing out leaflets to staff. read more

Don Marketing Promotional Posters Online Archive

by John
October 11, 2017December 12, 2020

A small sampling of the thousands of retailers and major global brands that were all clients of the worlds No1 Promotional Games company, Don Marketing.

Whitbread Scoop the Pools promotion.

Approx size: 21 x 30 cm portrait

Don Marketing co-founder John Donovan photographed in October 2020 with a Whitbread “SCOOP THE POOLS” poster.

Nabisco Shredded Wheat Space Invaders Promotion.

Approx size: 22 x 30 cm portrait.

Don Marketing co-founder John Donovan photographed in October 2020 with a Nabisco Shredded Wheat Space Invaders poster. read more

HIGH COURT TRIAL INDEX PAGE: John Alfred Donovan v. Shell UK Ltd

by John
October 11, 2017June 20, 2023

Copy of archival information

HIGH COURT TRIAL JUNE/JULY 1999 Case No: DD04199 Court 58

John Alfred Donovan v. Shell UK Ltd

SHELL SMART MULTI-PARTNER LOYALTY CARD SCHEME

HIGH COURT TRIAL INDEX PAGE

(Modified 23 April 2018 when all references to relevant Shell executive changed to “AJL”)

Further modified 21 Oct 2020 with the green text added immediately below and further references to the same Shell executive spotted and changed to AJL)

The judge himself admitted in open court that he had lost control of the trial. The following is an extract from a transcribed comment he made to Shell’s barrister Mr Geoffrey Hobbs QC on Tuesday 29 June 1999:

MR HOBBS: Your Lordship said was there any other matter. I do not know whether your Lordship wishes to know about the open correspondence that has passed between the parties.

MR JUSTICE LADDIE: Mr Hobbs, it may come as a surprise to you but I am not running this case. That is very apparent. If you wish to make any submissions to me or bring anything to my attention that is a matter for your choice. I have decided there is no point in me making further enquiries of my own volition. read more