BP appoints Meg O’Neill as chief executive

BP announced Meg O’Neill as its new chief executive, effective April 1, 2026, following the departure of Murray Auchincloss from the role, with Carol Howle serving as interim chief executive.

The London-based energy company said Auchincloss will step down as chief executive and as a member of the board of directors on December 18.

Howle, BP’s executive vice president of supply, trading and shipping, will serve as interim chief executive until O’Neill joins the company. Auchincloss will remain in an advisory role until December 2026 to support the leadership transition, BP said.

O’Neill has been chief executive of Woodside Energy since 2021. BP said that during her tenure, Woodside became the largest energy company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.

O’Neill oversaw the acquisition of BHP Petroleum International, a transaction that created a geographically diverse business with a portfolio of oil and gas assets.

Before joining Woodside in 2018, O’Neill spent 23 years at ExxonMobil, holding technical, operational and senior leadership roles across multiple countries, according to BP.

BP Chair Albert Manifold said the board viewed the transition as an opportunity following the succession process. “After a thorough succession planning process, the Board believes this transition creates an opportunity to accelerate our strategic vision of becoming a simpler, more agile and more profitable company,” Manifold said in a statement.

O’Neill said BP “plays a critical role in delivering energy to customers around the world” and added that she was “honored to serve as the company’s next chief executive,” according to the statement.

Auchincloss, who spent more than three decades at BP, said his decision followed discussions with the chair. “After more than three decades with BP, now is the right time to hand over the reins to a new leader,” he said in the statement.

Howle has worked at BP for 25 years and has served as Executive Vice President of Supply, Trading, and Shipping since July 2020. Her previous roles included leading BP Shipping and serving as Chief Operating Officer for Integrated Supply and Oil Trading, the company stated.

She is also a non-executive member of the Royal Navy Board and chair of the Navy’s Audit and Risk Assurance Committee.