December 18, 2025 [Storage Terminals Magazine]- Woodside Energy has announced that its CEO and managing director, Meg O’Neill, has advised the Board of her resignation after accepting the role of Chief Executive Officer at bp p.l.c. Following her departure, the Board has appointed Liz Westcott as Acting CEO, effective 18 December 2025.

Ms Westcott is a widely respected senior executive with extensive global operational leadership experience. She has led Woodside’s Australian operations as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Australia since joining the company in June 2023. Prior to Woodside, she served as chief operating officer at Energy Australia, following a 25-year career with ExxonMobil that included roles across Australia, the United Kingdom and Italy. Her career spans strategic planning, operations, project management, and safety, technical and commercial leadership.

Woodside chair Richard Goyder congratulated Ms O’Neill on her appointment as CEO of bp and thanked her for her significant contributions to Woodside. He noted that her appointment as CEO in 2021 laid the foundation for the company’s transformational growth in recent years, translating into approximately $11 billion in dividends paid to shareholders since 2022 and establishing a growth trajectory expected to deliver substantial long-term value.

During her tenure, Ms O’Neill led Woodside through several major milestones, including the merger with BHP Petroleum, final investment decisions on the Scarborough Energy Project and the Louisiana LNG Project, the start-up of the Sangomar Project, the acquisition of Beaumont New Ammonia, and the introduction of high-quality partners across key developments. She also oversaw continued strong performance across Woodside’s global operations portfolio.

Mr Goyder said the appointment of Ms Westcott as Acting CEO provides continuity for the business and its people. She will work closely with Woodside’s Executive Leadership Team to continue executing the company’s strategy, with a focus on disciplined decision-making and operational excellence to deliver shareholder value.

Woodside’s priorities for 2026 include maintaining safe and efficient operations, progressing major projects, and remaining firmly aligned with the strategic direction outlined at the company’s Capital Markets Day in November 2025. The Board continues to prioritise CEO succession planning and is considering both internal and external candidates, with the intention of announcing a permanent CEO appointment in the first quarter of 2026.