Leadership Team

Ajay Oommen brings over 25 years of global experience in energy and commodity trading, with a proven track record of leadership and innovation across diverse markets. Until 2023, he served as Head of the Crude Oil Trading Desk for Africa, the Mediterranean, and India at Shell Trading in London.

As part of Shell’s global trading leadership team, Ajay was instrumental in introducing structured financing solutions and driving strategic trading initiatives across the region.

At ATMIN, he brings together deep technical expertise and strategic insight, with a clear focus on building a purpose-led organization rooted in integrity, collaboration, and long-term value creation.

Ajay holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from London Business School.

Karima Benakki brings over 20 years of finance leadership experience at Shell, spanning operational and corporate roles across global markets. Most recently, she served as Head of Finance for Shell’s largest asset in Iraq, where she led complex debt financing and helped drive consistent growth in a challenging environment.

Known for her strategic financial insight and strong business partnering, Karima excels at fostering transparency, trust, and resilience across integrated value chains. She is trilingual in Arabic, French, and English, and has held leadership roles in the Netherlands, UK, France, UAE, and Iraq.

A Moroccan national, Karima holds a degree in Corporate Finance and a Master of Science from EM Lyon Business School in France.

Joseph is a seasoned energy sector professional with strong expertise in oil trading. He spent 11 years at Shell in London, specializing in trading of physical crude oil across North Africa, the Caspian and Mediterranean regions. Leading a trading book averaging 200–250kbd of flow, he consistently delivered robust trading returns. Joseph also originated and concluded numerous long-term oil deals, contributing to the growth of his trading book over the years. Prior to Shell, Joseph worked as a management consultant in the Middle East, applying his industry knowledge and regional insights to deliver strategic solutions.

Joseph holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from the American University of Beirut and an MBA from London Business School. Fluent in Arabic, French, and English, he excels in communication and collaboration across diverse global markets.

Vikram is a seasoned energy sector professional with over 18 years of experience at Shell, where he held roles in Structured Finance, Oil Trading and origination. He has built a strong reputation as an accomplished originator, with a proven track record in leading and executing complex commodity transactions. Vikram possesses deep expertise in global commodity markets and deal structures, with a particular focus on Africa over the past decade.

Throughout his career, Vikram has consistently demonstrated strong business leadership and relationship management skills. He is known for building resilient partnerships across diverse cultural and operational environments.

Before joining Shell, Vikram worked in banking and consulting, where he led teams and projects across Asia, the Caribbean, and Europe.