Shell non-exec takes first stake

Hans Wijers, a non-executive director at the Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell, has spent just less than £90,000 on a stake in the firm.He took 5,000 shares at €19.96 (1,789.81p), which represents his sole holding in the group.Shares in Shell have rallied strongly since earlier in the year, when they sat below 1,400p, though they are still below the levels at which they sat earlier in the year, when Wijers joined the board.Wijers is the chief executive of AkzoNobel, an Amsterdam manufacturing firm that specialises in healthcare products, coatings and chemicals.His purchase of shares comes soon after Shell reported a 73% fall in third quarter earnings after being hit by the sharp decline in oil prices following the economic downturn that erupted towards the end of 2008.Ernings for the three months to the end of September, on a current cost of supplies (CCS) basis, fell 73% to just $3bn from $10.9bn a year ago. "Our third quarter results were affected by the weak global economy," said chief executive Peter Voser. He also remained cautious on future prospects, despite a recovery in oil prices.'We see some indications that energy demand and pricing are improving, but the outlook remains very uncertain, and we are not expecting a quick recovery,' he said.Top Director BuysWolseley (WOS) Director name: Mr Ian MeakinsAmount purchased: 31,188 @ 1,282.58p Value: £400,011Speymill Deutsche Immobilien (SDIC) Director name: Mr James (Jim) MellonAmount purchased: 375,000 @ € 0.33 Value: € 123,750Royal Dutch Shell 'A' (RDSA) Director name: Mr Hans WijersAmount purchased: 5,000 @ 1,789.81p Value: £89,490Speymill Deutsche Immobilien (SDIC) Director name: Mr James (Jim) MellonAmount purchased: 125,000 @ € 0.33 Value: € 41,250Speymill Deutsche Immobilien (SDIC) Director name: Mr James (Jim) MellonAmount purchased: 125,000 @ € 0.33 Value: € 41,250Computacenter (CCC) Director name: Mr John OrmerodAmount purchased: 10,000 @ 279.94p Value: £27,994Braemar Shipping Services (BMS) Director name: Mr Alan MarshAmount purchased: 5,000 @ 432.94p Value: £21,647Media Corporation (MDC) Director name: Mr John Ashley PalmerAmount purchased: 650,000 @ 3.10p Value: £20,150Top Director SellsRightmove (RMV) Director name: Mr Edmund WilliamsAmount sold: 300,000 @ 529.75p Value: £1,589,250