Linda Z. Cook — Harbour Energy 

Cook began her career at Shell in 1980 as a reservoir engineer in the United States, working her way up through exploration and production roles with Shell U.S.A. In 1998 she took her first European posting in the Netherlands, leading Shell International E&P. Over a 29-year career at Royal Dutch Shell, she held some of the company's most senior operational roles: CEO of Shell Gas & Power from 2000 to 2003, CEO of Shell Canada in Calgary, and Executive Vice President of Strategy and Finance for Shell's global Exploration & Production business, all while sitting on Shell's Board of Directors and Executive Committee. Forbes named her the 44th most powerful woman in the world in 2007. She stepped down from Shell's board in 2009 after being passed over for the company's top job, retiring from Shell in 2010.

Cook joined EIG Global Energy Partners in 2014 as Managing Director, later becoming Senior Advisor, and that same year became Chairman of the Board of Chrysaor Holdings. When Chrysaor merged with Premier Oil in 2021 to form Harbour Energy, Cook became CEO of the combined business, immediately making Harbour the UK's largest independent oil and gas producer with operations spanning the UK, Norway, South America, Mexico and Africa. Her leadership since has centred on integrating large-scale acquisitions and expanding the company's operational footprint, most notably Harbour's $11.2 billion acquisition of Germany's Wintershall Dea in 2024 — one of the largest deals in recent North Sea history. In 2026, Harbour reported record first-half production exceeding 500,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, reflecting the scale the company has reached under her leadership.