Shell bosses woo US investors to get backing for $51 billion BG takeover

Royal Dutch Shell’s top bosses will bid to shore up US support for its $51 billion (£35 billion) takeover of BG Group this week as the clock ticks down a shareholder vote on January 27.

The oil major’s chief executive Ben van Beurden and finance director Simon Henry are understood to have a series of conference calls with US investors lined up, after a similar campaign in London last week.

The drive comes as an oil price plunging close to $30 a barrel fosters doubts over a deal. Management are desperate to focus on the longer term benefits but the cash-and-shares offer was worth $70 billion when announced last April.

Shell’s sliding share price has wiped around $20 billion off the value of the offer.

David Cumming, head of equities at Standard Life and a deal opponent, said: “A lot’s changed since the bid was announced in April last year - all of it negative.”