ConocoPhillips is set for a leadership change, with Andy O’Brien named president and chief executive officer and longtime CEO Ryan Lance moving into a transitional executive chair role.

 

The appointments, announced Aug. 10, take effect Sept. 1, 2026. O’Brien, currently chief financial officer and executive vice president of Strategy and Commercial, will also join the company’s board of directors.

 

Lance will retire as president and CEO after 14 years at the helm and move to executive chair of the board in a transitional role, closing a 42-year career with the company.

 

“On behalf of the board, I want to thank Ryan for 14 years of exceptional leadership and more than 40 years of dedicated service to the company,” said Robert Niblock, lead independent director. 

 

“He set the course for the newly formed independent ConocoPhillips in 2012, and during his tenure, the company became a recognized leader within the sector as a global upstream company. The strength of the company and its compelling outlook for the future is a direct result of Ryan's vision and leadership. 

 

"We are also pleased to appoint Andy as president and CEO. He is the right person to lead our company into its next phase. He brings a deep knowledge of our business, a strong track record of execution and has played a key role in making ConocoPhillips successful. We look forward to welcoming him to the board."

 

O’Brien, a Conoco veteran who began his career in 1997, has held a series of finance, planning and strategy positions across the company’s global operations. He joined the executive leadership team in 2022 and has since overseen Alaska and international businesses, commercial operations, LNG, finance, corporate strategy, Investor Relations, and mergers and acquisitions.

 

"I'm honored to lead ConocoPhillips and grateful to Ryan for the strong foundation he has built,” said O’Brien. 

 

“Ryan has helped put the company in an exceptional position, with one of the best asset bases in the industry and a culture that delivers. My focus will be to build on that momentum, continue raising the bar and unlock even greater value across our company. Our future is bright, our best years are ahead of us and I can’t wait to get after it with this team."

 

Lance said the transition marks the next chapter for a company he has led for more than a decade.

 

“I’ve enjoyed an amazing 42-year career alongside some of the most talented people in the industry, and leading the company for the past 14 years has been a special privilege,” said Lance. “we have an exceptional portfolio and a world-class team ready to begin the next chapter of our history under Andy’s leadership. 

 

"Andy has played a significant role in shaping our company and strategy and I’m excited to see him, his leadership team and our employees build on our track record of success. I have complete confidence they will continue executing with discipline, generating peer-leading free cash flow growth and delivering competitive returns to shareholders, while meeting the world’s growing energy demand.”

 

The company will also see a change at the CFO level. Konnie Haynes-Welsh, currently vice president, Finance and Controller, will become senior vice president and chief financial officer on Sept. 1.

 

Haynes-Welsh joined ConocoPhillips in 2012 and has held increasingly senior roles across finance and strategy, including corporate strategy, compliance and Lower 48 operations. She later served as treasurer before becoming vice president, Finance and Controller. Before joining ConocoPhillips, she held positions with PricewaterhouseCoopers and Mariner Energy.

 

The leadership overhaul comes as ConocoPhillips positions itself for its next phase of growth, with O’Brien taking charge of a global upstream business focused on capital discipline, free cash flow and meeting rising energy demand.