Woodside promotes from within to fill CEO role

March 18th, 2026

Australia’s energy giant Woodside has finished its hunt for a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) by assigning this position to its Acting CEO.

Illustration; Source: Woodside

Woodside Energy’s board has appointed Elizabeth (Liz) Westcott, who has served as the firm’s Acting CEO since the departure of Meg O’Neill in December 2025, as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director. The appointment follows a comprehensive recruitment process involving internal and external candidates.

Westcott said: “Woodside is a great company with highly talented people and a proud track record of delivery for our customers and stakeholders. My focus as CEO is on sustainable value creation for Woodside shareholders, operational excellence and disciplined execution of our growth projects.

“I look forward to working closely with the Board and Woodside’s strong leadership team to continue building a leading global energy company that delivers long-term value for shareholders, underpinned by a consistent focus on sustainability and high performance.”

After joining the company in June 2023, Westcott has led the firm’s Australian Operations, including the Scarborough energy project and Bass Strait operator transition, as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Australia. She was previously the COO at EnergyAustralia, following a 25-year career at ExxonMobil working in Australia, the United Kingdom, and Italy.

Through these roles, Westcott has developed deep industry expertise across a range of areas, including strategic planning, commercial and business development, operations, project execution, government and regulatory engagement, sustainability, and stakeholder relationships.

Richard Goyder, Woodside’s Chair, commented: “Liz’s proven track record of outstanding strategic leadership and disciplined delivery distinguished her as the board’s top candidate for this role.

“Liz’s extensive industry experience and strategic vision will be invaluable in leading Woodside at this significant moment in its history, as we position the company to meet growing global energy demand and deliver long-term shareholder value.”

Woodside has been busy with its projects and deals, including a recent liquefied natural gas (LNG) sale and purchase agreement (SPA) with Japan’s JERA.