BP appoints Meg O’Neill as next CEO

LONDON, December 17, 2025 – BP has appointed Meg O’Neill as its next CEO, with the transition to take place in April 2026, the company announced on Wednesday.

O’Neill will replace Murray Auchincloss, who steps down effective Thursday and will remain as an adviser until the end of 2026. Carol Howle, executive vice-president of supply, trading and shipping, will act as interim CEO until O’Neill assumes the role. The appointment follows a board-led succession planning process assisted by an independent firm.

O’Neill is currently CEO of Australia’s Woodside Energy and previously held senior leadership roles at ExxonMobil. At Woodside, she oversaw the acquisition of BHP Petroleum, expanding the company’s international footprint and hydrocarbons portfolio.

“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,” BP chair Albert Manifold 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,” Meg O’Neill said.

BP is a global energy company headquartered in the UK, with operations in over 70 countries across upstream, downstream, trading and renewables. The company is focused on transforming into an integrated energy firm while expanding its portfolio across hydrocarbons and low-carbon energy.

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