A Top Executive Quits: What Went Wrong at Santos?

Sherry Duhe, the former finance chief of Santos, has spoken out about her sudden departure from the company. She claims that the leadership style of CEO Kevin Gallagher was the main reason for her exit. Duhe had only been with Santos for a year before she decided to leave. She mentioned that she tried to work things out with Gallagher, but in the end, it just wasn't working. Duhe revealed that Gallagher and Kim Lee, the executive vice president of people and brand, asked her to stay. They even said they wanted to improve their leadership style to make her feel more comfortable. But things took a turn when the board chair, Keith Spence, told her that her services were no longer needed. Duhe said she had already resigned when Spence approached her. She also refused to sign a non-disclosure agreement, stating that she wanted to be honest about why she was leaving. Duhe's departure comes just a month after a major takeover bid by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company fell through. Analysts had seen her as a potential successor to Gallagher. Before joining Santos, Duhe had worked at Shell, Woodside Energy, and Newcrest Mining. She was appointed as Santos' finance chief in September 2024. Gallagher has been the CEO of Santos for almost a decade. During his tenure, the company has faced several multi-billion dollar takeover bids that did not proceed. Spence has been the chairman for more than seven years. The company has not commented further on Duhe's departure beyond saying that she was leaving to "pursue other interests. " Duhe's decision to speak out about her departure raises questions about the leadership culture at Santos. It's not uncommon for executives to leave due to differences in leadership styles. However, Duhe's refusal to sign a non-disclosure agreement shows that she was serious about being transparent about her reasons for leaving.