Meg O’Neill Named BP Chief Executive, Marking a Strategic Shift
Meg O’Neill, 55, from Boulder, Colorado, has been appointed chief executive of BP, becoming the first female head of a major oil company and the first outsider to take on the role at BP. She previously served as CEO of Woodside Energy in Australia for four years, where she led a merger with BHP Group’s petroleum arm, doubling fossil fuel production and valuing the combined company at around $40 billion.
BP is currently undergoing a strategic pivot away from green investments toward increased fossil fuel production. O’Neill's appointment is viewed as a catalyst for change, with BP having its third CEO in five years.
O’Neill brings 23 years of experience at ExxonMobil, including roles as executive adviser to Rex Tillerson and consultant to Darren Woods on African projects. During her time at Woodside, her compensation rose to approximately $7.45 million last year, compared to her predecessor Murray Auchincloss’s £5.4 million ($7.2 million), which reflected a 30% pay cut.
She has faced climate activism, including protests at her Perth home, which she condemned as extremist and threatening to her family. Openly gay and married to Vicky Hayes with a daughter, O’Neill emphasizes the importance of visible LGBTQ+ role models in the energy sector.
At a recent gas industry conference in May, she criticized some young fossil fuel opponents for their zeal and advocated for recognition of the energy and carbon impact of everyday consumer behavior.
Under her leadership, Woodside aimed to increase oil and gas sales to 300 million barrels of oil equivalent per year by 2032 and pursued major projects such as the $17.5 billion Louisiana LNG and a 50-year extension of the North West Shelf LNG license.
