Guus Kessler was a Dutch industrialist who was born to a wealthy family in The Hague, where his father was the first director of Koninklijke Nederlandse Petroleum Maatschappij (Royal Dutch Petroleum Company), later to become Royal Dutch Shell. His father died somewhat unexpectedly and control of the company passed to Henri Deterding. Guus and his older brother, Dolf Kessler, were expected to lead the firm but were forced to work under Deterding, with whom they did not get along. Dolf left the firm and formed Hoogovens, a Dutch steel company. Guus eventually became director-general of Royal Dutch Shell from 1947-49, and then from 1949-61 was president-commissioner of the company.
Netherlands