Our Executive Team

Brett Woods 
MANAGING DIRECTOR and CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 
BSc (Hons) Geology and Geophysics, AMP Harvard

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.

Bill Ovenden
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT,
EXPLORATION & SUBSURFACE
BSc (Hons) Geology and Geophysics

Mr Ovenden has nearly 40 years’ experience in the oil and gas industry, including eight years of exploration and subsurface executive accountability at Santos.

Mr Ovenden has been instrumental in the delivery of successful exploration and development projects in Australia, Papua New Guinea, Asia, North Africa, the Middle East and South America, with companies including Santos, ExxonMobil, Sun Oil, Ampolex and Kufpec. He was closely associated with Santos’ acquisitions of Quadrant Energy, ConocoPhillips’ northern Australia oil and gas assets and Oil Search.

Mr Ovenden holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons), majoring in Geology and Geophysics, from the University of Queensland.

Mr Ovenden joined Beach in April 2024 in the role of Executive Vice President Exploration and Subsurface. In the role, Mr Ovenden is responsible for group exploration, subsurface assurance and the vitality of the subsurface community.

Fiona Hall
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT STRATEGY AND COMMERCIAL
B.Sc (Hons) International Management, GAICD

Ms Hall brings over 17 years of diverse experience in commercial, marketing, sales, trading, ESG and strategy within the energy and mining sectors. Her career has spanned roles across United Kingdom, Europe, Africa, Asia, North America and Australia across industries including oil, gas, LNG, iron ore, bauxite and alumina.

Beginning her career as a graduate at Shell, she later held roles at McKinsey, Cuadrilla Resources, Santos and Rio Tinto. Prior to joining Beach, she served as the Global Head of Bulk Marketing and ESG at Rio Tinto.

Ms Hall holds a first-class BSc (Hons) in International Management from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom, is a graduate of Australian Institute of Company Directors and has completed Leading Sustainable Organisations from the Said Business School at the University of Oxford

Joining Beach in November 2024, Ms Hall is responsible for our commercial, marketing, sales, strategy, M&A and sustainability activities.

Christian Paech
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, LEGAL & CORPORATE AFFAIRS
LLB (Hons), B.Com, GAICD

Mr Paech has nearly 30 years of legal and advisory experience, specialising in corporate and commercial law, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, governance and risk management, government policy, environment and sustainability and litigation. He is also a highly regarded public company executive and independent non-executive director.

Mr Paech has significant oil and gas industry experience, having held various senior roles at Santos Limited including as General Counsel from 2010 to 2019. During his time at Santos, he was instrumental in the execution of several large-scale transactions including the PNG LNG debt financing and the sell down of Santos’ interests in GLNG to Petronas, Total and Kogas.

Mr Paech holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and Bachelor of Commence from the University of Adelaide and is a member and graduate of the AICD. He has also completed Harvard Law School’s Leadership in Corporate Counsel Executive program.

Mr Paech joined Beach in August 2024 in the role of Executive Vice President – Legal and Corporate Affairs and Joint Company Secretary. Mr Paech is responsible for group Legal, Risk, External and Community Affairs, Regulatory Approvals and Joint Venture Governance.