BP appoints Woodside Energy’s Meg O’Neill as CEO

British vigor institution bp has appointed Meg O’Neill arsenic its adjacent CEO, effectual from 1 April 2026.

O’Neill is presently serving arsenic CEO of Woodside Energy, an Australia-based autarkic lipid and state producer.

This announcement from bp follows Murray Auchincloss’ determination to measurement down arsenic CEO and manager of the board, with his departure effectual from 18 December.

BP’s supply, trading and shipping enforcement vice-president Carol Howle volition service arsenic interim CEO until O’Neill assumes the position.

Auchincloss volition stay with bp successful an advisory capableness until December 2026 to enactment the modulation process.

BP president Albert Manifold said: “We are delighted to invited Meg O’Neill to the bp team. Her proven way grounds of driving transformation, maturation and disciplined superior allocation makes her the close person for bp.

“Her relentless absorption connected concern betterment and fiscal subject gives america precocious assurance successful her quality to signifier this large institution for its adjacent signifier of maturation and prosecute important strategical and fiscal opportunities.

“Following a broad succession readying process, the committee believes this modulation creates an accidental to accelerate our strategical imaginativeness to go a simpler, leaner and much profitable company.

“Progress has been made successful caller years, but accrued rigour and diligence are required to marque the indispensable transformative changes to maximise worth for our shareholders.”

O’Neill has been starring Woodside Energy arsenic CEO since April 2021, aft serving arsenic main operations serviceman (COO) and enforcement vice-president for improvement and marketing.

She joined Woodside Energy successful 2018 aft 23 years astatine ExxonMobil, wherever she held technical, operational and enactment roles.

O’Neill is besides seat of Australian Energy Producers and serves connected the boards of the Business Council of Australia and the American Petroleum Institute.

During her tenure astatine Woodside, she oversaw the acquisition of BHP Petroleum International, which expanded the company’s beingness and plus portfolio.

O’Neill notified the Woodside Energy Board of her resignation and her acceptance of the CEO relation astatine bp. Woodside has named Liz Westcott arsenic acting CEO, effectual 18 December 2025.

Liz Westcott was antecedently COO astatine Energy Australia and spent 25 years astatine ExxonMobil successful strategical planning, operations, task management, and method and commercialized enactment roles.

Meg O’Neill said: “bp plays a captious relation successful delivering vigor to customers astir the world. I americium honoured to service arsenic the company’s adjacent CEO.

“With an bonzer portfolio of assets, bp has important imaginable to reestablish marketplace enactment and turn shareholder value.