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Published August 6, 2026
ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) announced that Andy O’Brien, chief financial officer and executive vice president, Strategy and Commercial, will succeed Ryan Lance as president and chief executive officer. O’Brien will join the board of directors with his appointment. Lance will retire as president and CEO and become executive chair of the board of directors in a transitional role following a distinguished and impactful career. Konnie Haynes-Welsh, currently vice president, Finance and Controller, will become senior vice president and chief financial officer. These appointments are effective Sept. 1, 2026.
“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 today 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.”
“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.”
“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. “Today 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.”
O’Brien began his career with Conoco in 1997 and held numerous finance, planning and strategy roles of increasing responsibility across the globe before becoming a member of the company’s executive leadership team in 2022. Since then, he has served in leadership roles overseeing the company’s Alaska and international businesses, commercial, LNG, finance, corporate strategy, Investor Relations and mergers and acquisitions.
Haynes-Welsh joined ConocoPhillips in 2012 and held leadership roles of increasing responsibility across finance and strategy, including positions in corporate strategy, compliance and Lower 48, and later served as treasurer before becoming vice president, Finance and Controller. Prior to joining ConocoPhillips, she held roles with PricewaterhouseCoopers and Mariner Energy.
