Former Shell Pilipinas CEO Cesar Buenaventura dies at 96

Cesar "CAB" L. Buenaventura, a prominent business leader and former chairman and CEO of Shell Pilipinas, has passed away at the age of 96.

Buenaventura was the founding chairman of Pilipinas Shell Foundation Inc. and a founding member of the Makati Business Club (MBC), where he served on the board for 27 years.

He was the first Filipino executive president of the Shell Group in the Philippines, assuming the role in 1975.

Regarded as a 'grand old wise man' of Philippine business, his expertise spanned general management, engineering, and risk management.

Beyond Shell, Buenaventura also served on the Monetary Board and held directorships in several other major corporations including Concepcion Industrial Corp., DMCI Holdings, Inc., International Container Terminal Services, Inc., PetroEnergy Resources Corp., Semirara Mining and Power Corp., and Manila Water Company, Inc.

The MBC described him as a respected business leader whose contributions helped shape the country's corporate landscape and a mentor to its current chairman.

Semirara Mining highlighted his 'steady leadership and expertise' and noted he was known for his 'clarity of thought, principled leadership, and deep patriotism'.