Marcus Samuel, 1st Viscount Bearsted

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Marcus Samuel, 1st Viscount Bearsted (5 November 1853 - 17 January 1927) was the founder of the Shell Transport and Trading Company, a precursor to Royal Dutch Shell.

His father, also Marcus Samuel, ran a successful import-export business to the Far East, which Marcus carried on with his brother, Samuel Samuel. Marcus Samuel realised the potential of the oil trade during a trip to the Black Sea in 1890, and ordered the construction of eight dedicated tankers, the first of which was Murex. His were the first ships to satisfy the Suez Canal company of their safety, allowing him to ship his product to Bangkok and Singapore.

In 1907, Samuel's company would combine with the Royal Dutch company of the Netherlands to create the company today known as Shell. The family's other firm, M. Samuel & Co., would merge in 1965 with Philip Hill, Higginson, Erlangers Limited to create Hill Samuel, which is now a part of Lloyds TSB.

Samuel was Lord Mayor of London in from 1902 to 1903. In honor of Shell's contribution to the British cause in World War I, he was created 1st Baron Bearsted in 1921, and in 1925, became 1st Viscount Bearsted. His son, Walter Horace Samuel, succeeded him both as Viscount and as Chairman of the Shell Transport and Trading Company.