(Bloomberg) — Geraldine Slattery \u2014 head of BHP Group\u2019s Australian business and widely seen as a favored candidate to follow current boss Mike Henry \u2014 is in the running for the top job at Woodside Energy Group, according to people familiar with the situation.<\/p>\n
Slattery has not been formally selected, but has interviewed for the position and is one of only a handful of candidates in the running, the people said, asking not to be named as the process is not public. Woodside is seeking to replace Meg O\u2019Neill, who left unexpectedly last December to take the top job at BP Plc.<\/p>\n
Slattery is well known to Woodside, as she ran BHP\u2019s petroleum business when it agreed to merge with Woodside in 2021. At the time, she was already a contender to take the job that ultimately went to O\u2019Neill.<\/p>\n
Liz Westcott, who previously ran Woodside\u2019s Australian operations, has been acting chief executive officer since O\u2019Neill\u2019s departure last year.<\/p>\n
A Woodside spokesperson said the company has already disclosed it intends to appoint a permanent CEO in the first quarter of 2026, and declined to comment further. BHP declined to comment.<\/p>\n
Slattery\u2019s departure would be a blow to BHP, where she runs the high-profile Australia business and has been seen as a strong candidate for the top job. BHP\u2019s executive team has publicly dismissed succession speculation, but Henry has completed six years, and the company has been preparing for a change of the guard.<\/p>\n
Her exit would also narrow the list of those in the CEO race at the mining giant, leaving Brandon Craig, BHP\u2019s Americas president, and Chief Financial Officer Vandita Pant as front-runners \u2014 or an external candidate. Chief Commercial Officer Rag Udd has also been seen as a potential contender.<\/p>\n