By Collin Eaton
Kathryn Mikells, Exxon Mobil's chief financial officer, said she plans to retire from the role Feb. 1, citing health concerns.
During a Tuesday investor presentation, Exxon said a non-life threatening health issue led to her decision to leave the company. "Sadly, it became clear to me in recent weeks that my love for this company meant I had to step aside and let someone who could focus full time on the CFO role take over," she said.
The Chicago native helped oversee a financial overhaul at the largest U.S. oil company in recent years, which included a sharper focus on structural cost savings and debt reduction, and record company payouts to shareholders.
Mikells began her role at Exxon in 2021. Historically, Exxon has rarely hired company outsiders for key leadership positions. She joined the company as Exxon faced pressure from investors to shore up its finances and strategies in the wake of the pandemic, which kicked off a historic oil downturn and led to a $20 billion annual loss for Exxon in 2020.
In recent years, investors have said Mikells' talent for communicating Exxon's messages have been key in the company's efforts to bolster relationships with portfolio managers.
"Kathy has strengthened the finance organization and really helped in the development of our talent pipeline and succession plans," Exxon CEO Darren Woods said.
Neil Hansen, Exxon's president of global business solutions, will succeed Mikells as CFO. Hansen has been with Exxon for 25 years in various roles, Woods said.
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
December 09, 2025 12:53 ET (17:53 GMT)
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