
Europe endured one of its most tumultuous years since the end of the Second World War in 2022. Russia’s February invasion of Ukraine ignited humanitarian, political, and economic crises, exacerbating a supply chain crunch and energy crisis that stoked inflation to historic highs.
It’s in the context of this energy crisis that Shell leads Fortune’s inaugural list of Europe’s biggest companies, edging out Volkswagen for the top spot. The group is one of seven energy firms comprising the Fortune 500 Europe’s top 10, as big hitters like TotalEnergies and Glencore delivered bumper revenue growth last year.