WORK BOAT WORLD:
Meg O’Neill has been selected to serve as the new Chief Executive Officer of BP effective April 1, 2026.
O’Neill is currently CEO of Woodside Energy, a position she has held for the last four years. Following her departure, Woodside will appoint Liz Westcott as Astinc CEO.
Prior to joining Woodside in 2018 as Chief Operating Officer, O’Neill held various positions with ExxonMobil. These include Vice President of ExxonMobil Development’s Africa operations and Executive Advisor to the Chairman and CEO.
O’Neill has degrees in both chemical engineering and ocean engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Accommodation specialist Prosafe has appointed Reese McNeel as its new Chief Executive Officer.
McNeel has been Prosafe’s interim CEO since September of this year. Before becoming interim CEO, he was Chief Financial Officer, having been appointed to that role in August 2022.
McNeel has more than 20 years of experience from management and financial positions, including many years of experience from the offshore industry. Prior to joining Prosafe, he served as Deputy CEO and CFO at Atlantica Tender Drilling and as CEO and CFO of Sevan Marine. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the IESE Business School in Barcelona and a degree in Finance and Economics from Utah State University.
Tim Taylor has been appointed Vice President of Engineering, Technology and Design at Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division.
Taylor, a US Navy veteran, has served NNS for 29 years in positions of increasing responsibility, including work control, submarine ship’s safety, and sea trial coordination. He currently serves as director of nuclear test engineering.
Taylor holds a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering from Excelsior College and an MBA from Strayer University. He will assume his new role on January 1, 2026, upon the retirements of Dave Bolcar, NNS Vice President of Engineering and Design, and Brian Fields, NNS Vice President and Chief Technology Officer (CTO).
In Taylor’s new position, the CTO role will become embedded within engineering and design, in order to best focus on waterfront support and technology.
SHIP WORLD:
At the Hong Kong Shipowners Association’s most recent annual general meeting, Richard Hext of Anglo-Eastern Ship Management was elected Chairman of the association. Hext succeeds Angad Banga of the Caravel Group, who stepped down after completing his two-year term as Chairman.
Kenneth Lam of SeaKapital was elected Deputy Chairman, succeeding Hext. Qian Weizhong of COSCO Shipping (Hong Kong) and Wang Yongxin of China Merchants Energy Shipping Company Limited were meanwhile re-elected as Vice Chairmen.
The AD Ports Group has appointed Jochen Thewes as the new CEO of the group’s Logistics Cluster, effective December 1, 2025.
Thewes brings decades of international experience to his new role at the AD Ports Group. For over nearly a decade, he served as CEO and Management Board Chairman of Deutsche Bahn’s DB Schenker.
The American Bureau of Shipping’s (ABS) board of directors has elected John McDonald as the new Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ABS. McDonald, who is currently ABS President and Chief Operating Officer, took over as Chairman and CEO on January 1, 2026 with the retirement of Christopher J. Wiernicki.
McDonald joined ABS in 1996 as a surveyor, serving in various frontline roles around the world. He led the former ABS Divisions in Europe and the Pacific, held operational leadership roles including Senior Vice President ofWestern Hemisphere Survey Operations and Senior Vice President of Global Business Development, prior to becoming COO and President.
McDonald has a bachelor’s degree in marine engineering from Maine Maritime Academy and an MBA from Texas A&M University.
FISHING BOAT WORLD:
Aquaculture technology company InnovaSea has promoted Jorge Bravo to Managing Director of its Chilean operations.
Bravo, who joined InnovaSea in 2020 and most recently served as the company’s Technical Manager for Chile, steps into the position having previously participated in the launch and expansion of InnovaSea’s Chilean operations.
As Managing Director, he will oversee InnovaSea’s operations, strategy and performance in Chile. Key priorities will include ensuring the area’s fish farms enjoy high-quality solutions and ongoing support while also collaborating with them to continue developing service offerings that will advance the country’s salmon industry.
Bravo earned his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Universidad Simón Bolívar and his MBA from the Universidad San Sebastián.
Dutch fish farmer the Kingfish Company has selected Karl Buiks to serve as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2026.
Buiks brings more than 25 years of international leadership experience across the food, beverage, and nutrition sectors, with senior roles at PepsiCo, FrieslandCampina, and the Kerry Group.
The Kingfish Company’s outgoing Chief Executive Officer Vincent Erenst will continue to support the team and work closely with his successor to ensure a smooth transition.
Norwegian ocean technology and seafood company Ava Ocean has appointed Torstein Heggstad as its new Managing Director for Fisheries.
Heggstad’s vast experience comes from both the maritime industry and fisheries, most recently as the MD for shipbuilder Maritime Partner. In addition, he has been MD for shipping and fishery company Volstad Shipping as well as Managing Director and Chair of Nils Sperre.
Heggstad will be based at Ava Ocean’s headquarters in Ålesund and will oversee the completion of the rebuild of the company’s new vessel and build the fishery team ahead of recommencing harvesting operations in 2026.
The Shetland Fishermen’s Association (SFA) of Scotland has appointed Dr Chevonne Angus to a new post of Scientific Officer.
With more than 25 years of research experience on issues related to the Shetland and Scottish fishing industry, Dr Angus will be supporting the SFA team with scientific input and working with external partners, including academic researchers and other fisheries associations.
Dr Angus has joined from Shetland Islands Council, where she was Natural Heritage Officer in the Planning Department from August 2024 to July 2025. Prior to that she worked (from July 1997 to June 2024) for the North Atlantic Fisheries College (NAFC), which became the NAFC Marine Centre in 2008 and UHI Shetland in 2021.
Her last role there was joint head of marine science and technology, leading across fisheries, aquaculture and marine spatial planning while also giving strategic direction on research, teaching and learning.
Dr Angus completed her PhD in Zoology on monkfish through the University of Aberdeen, while working at NAFC.