Royal Dutch Shell, the Anglo-Netherlands oil company, is a safer bet than the quintessentially British oil name, BP.

FORBES: Buy British

While Shell was once seen as a model of good management, some investors have in recent years criticised its complicated two-company structure: Royal Dutch Petroleum, based in the Netherlands, owns 60% of the group and London-based Shell Transport and Trading the remaining 40%, with operational management reporting to both boards.

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