Founder Profile
Marcus Samuel
Last reviewed: October 2026 · By Swet Parvadiya
Who is Marcus Samuel?
Marcus Samuel is a founder of Shell plc, which was founded in 1907 with Henri Deterding.
- Company founded
- Shell plc
- Founded
- 1907
- Co-founders
- Henri Deterding
Background
A London merchant who expanded his father's seashell import business into Asian trade, then into bulk kerosene shipping.
Founding Story
Marcus Samuel (1853-1927), later 1st Viscount Bearsted, built Shell's British side. With his brother Samuel Samuel he commissioned the Murex, which in 1892 became the first bulk oil tanker cleared to pass through the Suez Canal, letting the brothers sell Russian kerosene in Asia at prices that challenged Standard Oil. He founded The Shell Transport and Trading Company in 1897, agreed the 1907 combination with Royal Dutch, and served as Lord Mayor of London in 1902-1903. Marcus Samuel was born in 1853.
Sources
This profile does not yet cite a source specific to Marcus Samuel. The sources below document the company company rather than the person, so check them against the claims above.
- Shell Annual Report and Accounts 2025 (Shell plc)
- Shell FY2025 Annual Report PDF (Shell plc)