Stepping up when it counts
About the case
KPMG’s collaboration with Shell is a Managed Services engagement like no other. Since 2017, Shell has trusted us to run the entire financial planning and analysis process for all its gas stations in the Benelux region. But this is not just about admin: the team is always going one step further, constantly looking for opportunities to improve on the status quo.
The goal is to optimize Shell’s infrastructure and processes to run as smoothly as possible, creating value for both internal and external stakeholders. Over the years, KPMG has driven major changes to Shell’s systems: from creating an entire IT infrastructure for automatically processing food orders from gas station vendors, to setting up multiple monthly reports that we continuously develop and improve.
Until 2024, Senior Consultant Rick Bron had never even visited Shell. Just one year later, he is a key figure in this assignment, translating his technical knowledge into the client’s language as well as taking responsibility for everyday operations and end-to-end transformations alike. In this interview, Rick shares how he has made his mark on this project in an extraordinarily short amount of time – and what the engagement still has in store for him and the team.
“We’re not robots: we’re people, and we’re all part of something bigger. We can’t always perform at 100%, and that’s when others step in to make sure we deliver as a team.”
In conversation with Rick
You’ve quickly become one of the faces of the Shell engagement. Can you share the unusual route you took to get here?
After graduating in 2021, I started my career as an interim finance professional, seeking a variety of bookkeeping and financial control projects. It was through one such project that I encountered KPMG and Shell, back in 2023. Perhaps naively, I’d always thought that it didn’t matter who you worked with as long as you enjoyed the content of the work, but I quickly realized that’s only partly true. I was surprised to find I was enjoying working with the team here so much that I didn’t want the project to end! Fortunately, I had the opportunity to become a full-time KPMG employee, and I joined in October 2024.
How does this project differ from other Managed Services engagements?
With Shell, there’s an unusually strong focus on finance, management reporting, and analytics – more so than with other Managed Services programs. At the same time, it’s still fundamentally about transforming and optimizing corporate services and processes. We’re responsible for everything from receiving invoices and providing management information to delivering finance analytics services, as well as compiling annual statements. We continuously strive to make things faster and reduce the risk of human error. Essentially, we’re working to make ourselves redundant, which is, of course, how we add value for the client!
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had to tackle?
This year, we faced a perfect storm: we carried out a full migration to a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system at the same time as the gas stations were transitioning to a new point-of-sale system, and when several experienced team members had just moved on to other assignments. That was by far the biggest and toughest project I’ve ever worked on – but on the plus side, it was a valuable learning experience. What’s more, it’s a real privilege to be given so much responsibility so early in my career. It can be daunting, but I’m an ambitious person and I pride myself on picking things up quickly. I take it as a compliment that I’m already trusted to lead a project of this scale for a client like Shell.
So, what does the future hold for this engagement?
I’m happy to say that, after the ERP migration, we’re back in calmer waters again: looking beyond business as usual to the next horizon. That means more improvements for Shell’s organization over the coming months and years, as we’ve managed to secure a contract until the end of 2029. Plus, we’ll expand our geographical scope to include France, which is a real vote of confidence from the client – and an exciting challenge for us. We’re a young and ambitious team with a strong professional and personal bond, and I’m really glad that I get to help the group grow.
And what’s next for you?
I want to keep improving my communication skills, especially in unexpected or challenging situations. The migration project was an important reminder that we’re not robots; we’re people, and we’re all part of something bigger. We can’t always perform at 100%, and that’s when others step in to make sure we deliver as a team. In other words, I still have a lot to learn, but I’m enjoying it very much!