British energy company bp has appointed Meg O’Neill as its next CEO, effective from 1 April 2026.
O’Neill is currently serving as CEO of Woodside Energy, an Australia-based independent oil and gas producer.
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This announcement from bp follows Murray Auchincloss’ decision to step down as CEO and director of the board, with his departure effective from 18 December.
BP’s supply, trading and shipping executive vice-president Carol Howle will serve as interim CEO until O’Neill assumes the position.
Auchincloss will remain with bp in an advisory capacity until December 2026 to support the transition process.
BP chairman Albert Manifold said: “We are delighted to welcome Meg O’Neill to the bp team. Her proven track record of driving transformation, growth and disciplined capital allocation makes her the right leader for bp.
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By GlobalData“Her relentless focus on business improvement and financial discipline gives us high confidence in her ability to shape this great company for its next phase of growth and pursue significant strategic and financial opportunities.
“Following a comprehensive succession planning process, the board believes this transition creates an opportunity to accelerate our strategic vision to become a simpler, leaner and more profitable company.
“Progress has been made in recent years, but increased rigour and diligence are required to make the necessary transformative changes to maximise value for our shareholders.”
O’Neill has been leading Woodside Energy as CEO since April 2021, after serving as chief operations officer (COO) and executive vice-president for development and marketing.
She joined Woodside Energy in 2018 after 23 years at ExxonMobil, where she held technical, operational and leadership roles.
O’Neill is also chair of Australian Energy Producers and serves on the boards of the Business Council of Australia and the American Petroleum Institute.
During her tenure at Woodside, she oversaw the acquisition of BHP Petroleum International, which expanded the company’s presence and asset portfolio.
O’Neill notified the Woodside Energy Board of her resignation and her acceptance of the CEO role at bp. Woodside has named Liz Westcott as acting CEO, effective 18 December 2025.
Liz Westcott was previously COO at Energy Australia and spent 25 years at ExxonMobil in strategic planning, operations, project management, and technical and commercial leadership roles.
Meg O’Neill said: “bp plays a critical role in delivering energy to customers around the world. I am honoured to serve as the company’s next CEO.
“With an extraordinary portfolio of assets, bp has significant potential to reestablish market leadership and grow shareholder value.
“I look forward to working with the bp leadership team and colleagues worldwide to accelerate performance, advance safety, drive innovation and sustainability, and do our part to meet the world’s energy needs.”
Last month, Reuters reported that bp shut down its 400-mile (643km) Olympic Pipeline following a leak.
