• Liz Westcott is confirmed as CEO after serving in an interim role since December
• The appointment comes as Woodside expands operations, including in Senegal
• The company is advancing major projects like Sangomar amid evolving policy risks
  

Woodside Energy has confirmed Elizabeth (Liz) Westcott as its chief executive officer, formalizing a role she has held on an interim basis since December 2025.

The appointment was announced on March 18, following a selection process that reviewed both internal and external candidates. Westcott succeeds Meg O’Neill, who previously led the company.

Westcott joined Woodside in June 2023 as executive vice president for Australian operations and was later appointed chief operating officer for the region in 2024. In that role, she oversaw key assets, including the Scarborough gas project.

The company said she brings more than 30 years of experience in the energy sector. Before joining Woodside, she served as chief operating officer at EnergyAustralia and spent 25 years at ExxonMobil, with roles in Australia, the United Kingdom, and Italy.

Her appointment comes at a time when Woodside is actively expanding its international footprint, including in Senegal, where it operates the offshore Sangomar oil field. The company holds an 82% stake in the project, alongside the national oil company PETROSEN (18%).

Sangomar, Senegal’s first offshore oil development, began production in June 2024 with the commissioning of the Léopold Sédar Senghor floating production, storage, and offloading unit, which has a capacity of about 100,000 barrels per day.

According to Energy Capital & Power, the project surpassed 50 million barrels of output by the end of 2025. Woodside is considering a second development phase that could unlock around 250 million additional barrels, subject to investment decisions.

Westcott takes over as CEO at a time of increasing policy scrutiny in Senegal. On March 12, 2026, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko reiterated the government’s intention to renegotiate several oil and gas contracts, some of which he described as unfavorable to the country.

Abdel-Latif Boureima