Leadership 13 February 2026 - 12 May 2026

BHP’s Incoming CEO Opens Door to Copper Deals as Shares Hit Record
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BHP’s Incoming CEO Opens Door to Copper Deals as Shares Hit Record

Brandon Craig, the next CEO of BHP Group Ltd, is signaling a return to dealmaking for the world’s largest listed miner. Craig said BHP is open to exploration, striking partnerships, and pursuing smaller acquisitions as it seeks to lock in growth opportunities past 2035. Timing is key here. BHP’s leadership is in transition just as copper pulls more weight in its earnings mix, the stock notching fresh highs, and China’s iron ore market still feeling the aftershocks of a drawn-out procurement spat.
May 14, 2026
DeNA Founder Tomoko Namba Returns as CEO as AI Bet Meets Profit Drop
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DeNA Founder Tomoko Namba Returns as CEO as AI Bet Meets Profit Drop

DeNA on Tuesday announced founder Tomoko Namba is set to take over as president and CEO on June 27, bringing her back to lead the company as it pushes to ramp up efforts in gaming, AI, and new business areas. Shingo Okamura, who currently holds both roles, will step into the chairman position if shareholders sign off at the upcoming annual meeting. No subtlety in the numbers. DeNA posted a weaker outlook for the year to March 2026: revenue slipped 9.9% to 147.7 billion yen, operating profit tumbled 35.5% to 18.69 billion yen, and profit attributable to owners dropped 21.3% to 19.05 billion yen. Slower momentum in its games segment, as the initial rush for “Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket”
May 12, 2026
JD Sports Boardroom Fight: Chair Quits After Failed Move Against CEO
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JD Sports Boardroom Fight: Chair Quits After Failed Move Against CEO

Andrew “Andy” Higginson stepped down as chair of JD Sports Fashion after his attempt to oust Chief Executive Regis Schultz failed to gain full board support, the Financial Times said Friday, citing four sources with knowledge of the situation. According to Reuters, which relayed the FT’s story, Higginson had urged the board to replace Schultz, who has been in the role for three and a half years. JD Sports’ breakup comes just ahead of its full-year earnings report set for May 7, zeroing in investor attention on how the British retailer plans to regain momentum in North America and address sluggish sales at home in the UK and across Europe. The stock slipped in London on Friday, extending declines from
April 24, 2026
BP PLC’s New CEO Meg O’Neill Promises Clear Direction as Oil Swings Test Debt Reset
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BP PLC’s New CEO Meg O’Neill Promises Clear Direction as Oil Swings Test Debt Reset

BP PLC’s new boss, Meg O’Neill, wasted no time laying out her message to staff: “clear direction and consistency.” She steps in as the company redoubles its focus on oil and gas, trying to move past a stretch of expensive U-turns. O’Neill, who officially took over Wednesday, is BP’s first outside hire for CEO in more than 100 years—and the first woman to run any of the five biggest oil players. Timing’s a factor here. BP has hit pause on its share buybacks to conserve cash for cutting debt, and it’s pushing through asset sales to hit a $20 billion divestment goal by 2027. Leadership is also getting a shake-up as the company works to repair returns and win back
April 2, 2026
BP PLC Loses EV Charging Chief Ahead of Meg O’Neill Takeover as Oil Pivot Deepens
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BP PLC Loses EV Charging Chief Ahead of Meg O’Neill Takeover as Oil Pivot Deepens

BP’s global EV charging head is out, according to the Financial Times, with Rolls-Royce listing Martin Thomsen as a new arrival in March. The timing is notable: Meg O’Neill steps in as BP chief executive this week. BP’s exit is notable, coming as the company dials back its low-carbon bets—scaling down renewables and EV charging to funnel more capital toward oil and gas, eyeing higher and quicker returns. The move is playing out as Brent crude hovered just below $115 a barrel on Tuesday, set for a record monthly surge after supply disruptions linked to the Iran conflict.
March 31, 2026
Suncorp Group CEO Steve Johnston Takes Medical Leave, CFO Jeremy Robson Named Acting Chief
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Suncorp Group CEO Steve Johnston Takes Medical Leave, CFO Jeremy Robson Named Acting Chief

Suncorp Group announced that Chief Executive Steve Johnston is taking a temporary medical leave, putting Chief Financial Officer Jeremy Robson in the acting CEO seat for now. Neil Wesley, who heads up strategy, corporate development, and investor relations, steps into Robson’s role as acting CFO. The handover arrives days ahead of Suncorp’s interim dividend payout scheduled for March 31. The Brisbane insurer is still coming off a tough first half, having spent recent weeks calming investors rattled by hefty weather-related claims that weighed on profits but, according to management, left the broader business intact. Suncorp hasn’t specified when Johnston will be back, describing the leave simply as a "short period."
March 29, 2026
Co-op CEO Shirine Khoury-Haq to Step Down as Cyberattack Fallout and Costs Bite
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Co-op CEO Shirine Khoury-Haq to Step Down as Cyberattack Fallout and Costs Bite

Shirine Khoury-Haq is leaving her post as Co-op Chief Executive on March 29, ending a four-year stint at the helm. Board member Kate Allum steps in as interim chief while the search for a permanent replacement gets underway. The shakeup follows a challenging period for the British member-owned retailer, including a cyberattack, sluggish sales, and fresh scrutiny over leadership culture. Timing is key here. Co-op reported a 2.3% drop in 2025 revenue to 11 billion pounds, swinging from last year’s 131 million pound profit to a 35 million pound underlying operating loss. The company attributed a 285 million pound revenue shortfall and a 107 million pound profit hit to the cyberattack, and says it’s targeting 200 million pounds in annual
March 26, 2026
Clough CEO Peter Bennett Dies at 59, Leaving Webuild’s Australian Arm Facing a Leadership Test
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Clough CEO Peter Bennett Dies at 59, Leaving Webuild’s Australian Arm Facing a Leadership Test

Clough announced Thursday that its chief executive, Peter Bennett, has died. Australian media put his age at 59. The company declined to provide a cause of death, requesting privacy for Bennett’s family. The loss comes as the business faces a sensitive moment. Bennett remained in charge as Clough shifted under Webuild, which has turned the group into Webuild’s Australian base. The business now counts over 3,000 staff and a pipeline in Australia valued near A$18 billion.
March 12, 2026
BHP Group Ltd Succession Spotlight Sharpens as Geraldine Slattery Emerges in Twin CEO Race
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BHP Group Ltd Succession Spotlight Sharpens as Geraldine Slattery Emerges in Twin CEO Race

Melbourne, March 11, 2026, 08:41 AEDT. Geraldine Slattery, BHP Group Ltd’s Australia President, is suddenly at the heart of not one but two high-profile CEO succession talks. The Australian, on March 11, flagged her as a frontrunner inside BHP to take over from Chief Executive Mike Henry down the line. Just days before, Reuters reported that Slattery’s name is also circulating as a candidate for the open CEO spot at Woodside Energy.
March 10, 2026
Workday founder Aneel Bhusri’s $139 million CEO comeback deal hinges on a five-year stock test
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Workday founder Aneel Bhusri’s $139 million CEO comeback deal hinges on a five-year stock test

PLEASANTON, Calif., Feb 13, 2026, 09:34 Workday co-founder Aneel Bhusri is set to collect stock awards worth $135 million as he steps back into the CEO role, according to a regulatory filing. Of that, $75 million depends on hitting certain share price targets over five years. The document also details a $1.25 million base salary and a target bonus that could reach twice that amount, with equity awards slated for a March 5 grant date. Bhusri and fellow founder David Duffield have a voting pact covering Class B shares that account for about 68% of Workday’s voting power, per the filing.
February 13, 2026