Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) announced that Kevin McLachlan will assume the role of Vice President of Exploration, overseeing the company’s worldwide exploration portfolio from Houston. McLachlan will succeed Liz Schwarze, who will retire in February 2026 after more than three decades at Chevron.
The appointment marks a significant leadership transition within Chevron’s upstream division. McLachlan brings more than 30 years of international experience in exploration, production, and carbon management, having held senior positions at TotalEnergies, Murphy Oil, Nexen, and ExxonMobil. His expertise spans oil and gas discovery, field development, and carbon capture and storage (CCS) initiatives—areas that align with Chevron’s evolving exploration strategy amid a changing energy landscape.
Clay Neff, President of Chevron Upstream, described McLachlan as “an experienced energy executive with a strong record of leading and driving exploration organizations to achieve industry-leading performance and value creation.”
Neff also praised Schwarze for her “thoughtful and collaborative leadership” across multiple Chevron businesses, noting her lasting impact on exploration performance and portfolio development.
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Chevron’s exploration operations remain a cornerstone of its global upstream business, which spans major basins across the U.S., Africa, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific. The company continues to emphasize a dual strategy—expanding oil and gas production while reducing carbon intensity and developing new businesses in renewable fuels, hydrogen, and CCS.
The leadership change comes as oil majors reassess exploration strategies in light of capital discipline, geopolitical shifts, and energy transition pressures. McLachlan’s background suggests Chevron will continue pursuing technically driven, high-value exploration opportunities while integrating carbon management into its upstream operations.
By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com
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