BHP and Woodside Energy appoint new CEOs amid leadership transitions and compensation details

Consensus Summary

BHP and Woodside Energy have appointed new CEOs in a major leadership shakeup, with Brandon Craig taking over at BHP from Mike Henry on July 1, 2025, and Elizabeth Westcott permanently succeeding Meg O’Neill at Woodside. Both new leaders have been promoted from within, with Craig bringing experience in Americas operations and copper growth, while Westcott led Australian operations and the Scarborough Energy Project. Their compensation packages are substantial, with Craig earning a base salary of $1.9 million USD plus performance-linked bonuses, and Westcott receiving a fixed annual reward of $2.3 million with potential bonuses up to three times that amount. Mike Henry’s departure follows a six-and-a-half-year tenure during which BHP became the world’s largest copper producer, and he earned $19 million in total remuneration last year. The changes coincide with Woodside securing a 40-year extension for its North West Shelf gas project, while BHP faces ongoing challenges in the US over a blocked copper mining venture. The appointments reflect strategic shifts in both companies as they navigate evolving markets and regulatory landscapes.