Who Is Mike Wirth? Chevron CEO and His Career
Last updated: October 9, 2026
Michael K. Wirth is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Chevron Corporation, one of the world’s largest integrated oil and gas companies. He has held the role since February 1, 2018, making him one of the longest-serving CEOs among major Western oil companies, and has led Chevron through its headquarters relocation to Houston and its 2025 acquisition of Hess Corporation.
Current Position
| Role | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Chevron Corporation |
| In role since | February 1, 2018 |
| Predecessor | John S. Watson |
| Based in | Houston, Texas (relocated from San Ramon, California, in 2024) |
Education
Wirth holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder, which he completed in 1982.
Career Timeline
| Period | Role at Chevron |
|---|---|
| 2018–present | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer |
| 2017 | Vice Chairman of the Board |
| 2016–2018 | Executive Vice President, Midstream and Development |
| 2006–2015 | Head of Downstream and Chemicals |
| 2003–2006 | Head of Global Supply and Trading |
| 2001 | President of Marketing, Chevron Asia, Africa and Middle East region |
| 1982 | Joined Chevron as a design engineer |
Chevron’s board selected Wirth to become CEO in September 2017, and he took over on February 1, 2018, succeeding John S. Watson. In July 2023, Chevron’s independent directors waived the company’s mandatory retirement age of 65 for Wirth, citing the absence of an internal successor ready to take over; he has continued as Chairman and CEO through 2026, including hosting Chevron’s first-quarter 2026 earnings call.
Major Energy Decisions
As CEO, Wirth oversaw Chevron’s roughly $53 billion all-stock acquisition of Hess Corporation, which closed on July 18, 2025, after an International Chamber of Commerce arbitration panel rejected ExxonMobil’s claim to a right of first refusal over Hess’s stake in Guyana’s Stabroek Block. The deal gave Chevron a 30% non-operated interest in Stabroek, estimated to hold more than 11 billion barrels of recoverable resources, plus Bakken shale and Gulf of America assets. Wirth also led the August 2024 decision to relocate Chevron’s corporate headquarters from San Ramon, California, to Houston, Texas, and, in February 2025, announced a workforce reduction of 15% to 20% by the end of 2026 as part of a broader cost and structural-simplification drive.
Board Memberships
Wirth has served on the board of Catalyst, a nonprofit focused on workplace gender equity. He was elected chairman of the board of the American Petroleum Institute (API) in February 2022 for a two-year term; more recent, independently verified confirmation of whether he still holds an API board role in 2026 was not found in the sources reviewed. He is also a member of the Business Roundtable and the World Economic Forum’s International Business Council, and previously served on the boards of Caltex Australia and GS Caltex.
Current Responsibilities
Wirth leads Chevron’s overall strategy, capital allocation and operations across its upstream, downstream and chemicals businesses, reporting to the company’s board of directors, which he also chairs. His recent priorities have included integrating the Hess acquisition, growing production from the Permian Basin and the Tengiz field in Kazakhstan, and executing the multi-year Houston headquarters transition.
Related Entities
- Chevron — full company profile, ownership and major assets
- ExxonMobil — Chevron’s chief U.S. rival and fellow Stabroek Block partner in Guyana
- United States Energy Profile — the market where Chevron and Wirth are based
- WTI Crude Oil — the benchmark most relevant to Chevron’s U.S. upstream business
Latest News
Wirth has led Chevron through two major events in the past year: the July 2025 completion of the Hess acquisition, and the ongoing phased relocation of corporate headquarters to Houston. On Chevron’s January 2026 fourth-quarter and full-year results call, the company under his leadership reported record worldwide and U.S. 2025 production and a 4% increase in the quarterly dividend to $1.78 per share.
Net Worth
No independently verified, reliable public estimate of Wirth’s personal net worth is available. His compensation as CEO is disclosed annually in Chevron’s proxy statement (DEF 14A) filed with the SEC.
Sources
- Chevron Corporation newsroom and investor relations — leadership biography and headquarters relocation announcement (August 2024)
- Chevron Corporation, Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2025 Results press release (January 30, 2026)
- Hart Energy, CSP Daily News — coverage of the 2023 mandatory retirement age waiver
- Reuters, Axios, JPT/SPE — Hess acquisition closing and Guyana arbitration coverage (July 2025)
- American Petroleum Institute — 2022 announcement of Wirth’s election as API board chairman
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Mike Wirth?
Michael K. Wirth is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Chevron Corporation, a role he has held since February 1, 2018.
How long has Mike Wirth been Chevron’s CEO?
Since February 1, 2018, when he succeeded John S. Watson. Chevron’s board waived its mandatory retirement age of 65 for him in 2023.
What did Mike Wirth do before becoming CEO?
He joined Chevron in 1982 as a design engineer and held leadership roles in marketing, global supply and trading, downstream and chemicals, and midstream and development before becoming Vice Chairman in 2017.
Did Mike Wirth lead the Hess acquisition?
Yes. As CEO, Wirth oversaw Chevron’s roughly $53 billion acquisition of Hess Corporation, which closed in July 2025 and added Guyana, Bakken and Gulf of America assets.
Illustrative image. Photo: David Daniel Turner, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons — source
