APPEA 2025 Conference and Exhibition

BSc (Hons) Geology and Geophysics

Mr Woods is a leading senior executive in the energy sector with over 25 years of professional experience. He has an outstanding record of delivering major energy projects, cost and operational discipline and growing businesses in the UK, Africa, Australasia and North America.

Mr Woods began his career with Woodside Energy in the graduate program and held senior technical roles in Australia and Africa. In 2007, Mr Woods became Managing Director and CEO of African start-up Rialto Energy. He was responsible for growing Rialto’s business through acquiring new exploration licences in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire, raising capital and commencing two large drilling campaigns in the highly prospective Transform Margin.

In 2013, Mr Woods joined Santos and quickly moved into the executive leadership team assuming leadership of the Western Australia and Northern Territory Operating Division. Mr Woods led the successful transformation of the Cooper Basin and Gladstone LNG assets and played key roles in the successful acquisitions by Santos of Quadrant Energy, ConocoPhillips’ Northern Australian business and Oil Search.

More recently Mr Woods assumed control of the Santos operated infrastructure (LNG, domestic gas, oil fractionation facilities and pipelines) and developed decarbonisation, clean fuels and CCS opportunities through leading the Santos Energy Solutions business.

He was appointed Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Beach Energy in January 2024.

Presentation details

Plenary 5
Keynote Panel: Keynote Panel: Hitting the gas | Keeping net zero within reach
Thursday 29 May 2025
2:15pm – 4:30pm

Detailed program can be found here.