BP names new boss as CEO departs after brief tenure

Mace | 19th December 2025 | Moves
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BP appoints new chief executive as Murray Auchincloss exits early, signalling reset amid investor pressure and shifting energy market priorities

BP has announced a major leadership change with the appointment of a new chief executive after the current boss is leaving the company after less than two years in the role. The British energy giant said Murray Auchincloss will step down immediately as chief executive and will be succeeded by Meg O’Neill, the current head of Australia’s Woodside Energy, who is due to take up the BP role in April 2026. Carol Howle, BP’s head of trading, will act as interim CEO until O’Neill joins the company. The move comes amid broader changes at BP’s board level and reflects ongoing efforts to reshape the company’s strategy and performance. Auchincloss, a Canadian executive who became BP’s chief executive in January 2024 following the resignation of his predecessor, has led the company for under two years. His short tenure saw a strategic pivot focusing more on traditional oil and gas operations and scaling back some of BP’s renewable energy commitments, a shift prompted by shareholder pressure and in...

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