BP has announced that the bp Board has appointed Meg O’Neill as bp’s next chief executive officer ('CEO'), effective 1 April 2026. Murray Auchincloss has decided to step down from his position as CEO and director of the Board, effective Thursday, 18 December. Carol Howle, current executive vice president, supply, trading & shipping of bp, will serve as interim CEO until Meg joins as CEO. Murray will serve in an advisory role until December 2026 to ensure a smooth transition.
Meg currently serves as CEO of Woodside Energy. Since her appointment as CEO in 2021, Meg O’Neill has grown Woodside Energy into the largest energy company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. Among her many accomplishments at Woodside Energy, she oversaw the transformative acquisition of BHP Petroleum International, creating a geographically diverse business with a portfolio of high-quality oil and gas assets. Before joining Woodside Energy in 2018, Meg spent 23 years at ExxonMobil in technical, operational and leadership positions around the world.
Albert Manifold, Chair of bp, 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. 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 rigor and diligence are required to make the necessary transformative changes to maximise value for our shareholders.'
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.'
Murray Auchincloss said: 'After more than three decades with bp, now is the right time to hand the reins to a new leader. When Albert became Chair, I expressed my openness to step down were an appropriate leader identified who could accelerate delivery of bp’s strategy. I am confident that bp is now well positioned for significant growth and I look forward to watching the company’s future progress and success under Meg’s leadership.'
Albert Manifold continued: 'On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Murray for his many contributions to bp and for his commitment to our people and our business. We wish him every success in his next chapter.'
'The Board is grateful for Carol’s willingness to serve as interim CEO. With 25 years at bp, she has a deep knowledge of the company and will ensure strategic continuity until Meg joins.'
The appointment of Meg O’Neill follows a search process overseen by a search committee of the Board, assisted by an independent recruitment firm, as part of the Board’s long-term succession planning.
Source: bp
