Woodside Energy has appointed Elizabeth (Liz) Westcott as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director after she served as Acting CEO since the departure of Meg O’Neill in December 2025.
Westcott has more than 30 years of experience in the global energy industry. Since joining Woodside Energy in June 2023, she has led the company’s Australian operations as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Australia. Her responsibilities included the Scarborough Energy Project and the Bass Strait operator transition.
Before joining Woodside Energy, Westcott was Chief Operating Officer at EnergyAustralia. She previously spent 25 years at ExxonMobil, working in Australia, the United Kingdom and Italy.
Through those roles, Westcott developed experience in strategic planning, commercial and business development, operations, project execution, government and regulatory engagement, sustainability and stakeholder relationships.
Woodside Energy Chair Richard Goyder said the appointment followed a comprehensive recruitment process involving internal and external candidates. He said the decision reflected the depth of executive talent at Woodside Energy and succession planning overseen by the Board.
Goyder said Westcott’s record in strategic leadership and disciplined delivery set her apart in the process. He added that her industry experience and strategic vision would support Woodside Energy at a significant point in its development as the company works to meet growing global energy demand and deliver long-term shareholder value.
Westcott said she was honoured to lead Woodside Energy. She said her focus as CEO is on sustainable value creation for shareholders, operational excellence and disciplined execution of growth projects. She also said she looks forward to working with the Board and the leadership team to continue building a leading global energy company with a consistent focus on sustainability and high performance.