Chevron hires TotalEnergies veteran to lead African oil exploration push

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Chevron hires TotalEnergies veteran to lead African oil exploration push

8:35 CAT | 08 Oct 2025

File photo: Ecofin

Chevron names Kevin McLachlan VP of Exploration from Nov. 1

Veteran explorer brings deep African expertise from TotalEnergies

Appointment supports Chevron’s push in Angola, Namibia, Nigeria

U.S. oil major Chevron announced on Tuesday, October 7, the appointment of Kevin McLachlan as Vice President of Exploration, effective November 1, 2025. He succeeds Liz Schwarze, who is set to retire in February 2026 after a 36-year career with the group.

McLachlan, a former executive at rival TotalEnergies, brings over three decades of international oil exploration experience, with a background deeply rooted in the African continent. Notably, he has overseen major exploration campaigns in Angola, Nigeria, Mozambique, and Uganda, areas that have become critical to the expansion strategies of global oil majors.

McLachlan’s appointment comes as Chevron seeks to solidify its footprint in key African petroleum basins. In September 2025, the company signed a preliminary agreement with Angola’s National Agency for Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels (ANPG) to explore offshore Block 33/24 in the Lower Congo Basin.

Concurrently, the group is planning a new exploration well in Namibia’s Walvis Basin, scheduled for 2026-2027. During the Africa Energy Week 2025, held from September 29 to October 3, the company reaffirmed its long-term commitment to the continent, where it remains active, particularly in Nigeria and Congo.

By entrusting the exploration leadership to an executive recognized for his mastery of the African terrain, Chevron aims to strengthen its technical capabilities and secure future discoveries. The move follows CEO Mike Wirth’s acknowledgment that recent results have fallen below expectations and aligns with a strategy to rationalize and refocus on the most profitable assets.

Source: Ecofin