Woodside Energy announced earlier this week that it has named acting CEO Meg O’Neill as its CEO and Managing Director, effective immediately. O’Neill will succeed Peter Coleman to become the sixth CEO and MD of Woodside Energy. She has been a part of Woodside since 2018 and delivered operational efficiencies across the producing assets, leading the Scarborough and Sangomar developments since then. 

This appointment comes in tandem with the confirmation of the merger between BHP and Woodside, which will combine their respective oil and gas portfolios to create the largest ASX-listed energy company. O'Neill said of the immediate future: "My focus will be on delivering the significant benefits expected from the merger of Woodside and BHP’s petroleum business and continuing to reduce costs and carbon while delivering Woodside’s current projects and production."

O’Neill has extensive experience of 27 years working in the global oil and gas industry, She has a proven track record of deliveries across the oil and gas value chains. Her  project delivery, cost reduction and carbon footprint reduction skills will help Woodside to expand its business in a cost efficient and sustainable way. Prior to Woodside, O’Neill held senior technical and business positions in Exxon Mobil including assignments in Indonesia, Norway, Canada and the USA. She had also taken on regional roles responsible for Asia/Pacific and Africa. Ms O’Neill holds dual Bachelor degrees in Ocean Engineering and Chemical Engineering.

Richard Goyder, Woodside Chairman, said that O’Neill was selected after an extensive international recruitment process that included an exceptional field of internal and external candidates. “The board‘s priorities in selecting a new CEO were identifying someone who will maintain the momentum in the business to deliver our current projects, lead through a transformational phase of growth and guide Woodside’s activities in response to the energy transition...Meg is an outstanding executive with 27 years of experience working in the global oil and gas industry, with a proven track record of delivery across the oil and gas value chain, making her the ideal person to lead Woodside as we significantly expand the business."