Biography

Barbara Lowery-Yilmaz is Senior Vice President and Chief Exploration Officer for Hess Corporation, a global independent energy company engaged in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas. 

In this role, Yilmaz leads the Global Exploration organization, setting strategy, assessing prospects and ensuring functional excellence.

Prior to joining Hess in 2014, Yilmaz directed many of BP’s exploration advancements in the Gulf of Mexico. Under her leadership, the company expanded operations from the Miocene into the Paleogene, and extended into subsalt, laying the foundation for future success in deep water. She led BP’s North America Exploration organization, a region that encompassed onshore and offshore, and accounted for one-third of the company’s global exploration budget. She was also Deputy Head of BP’s Exploration Forum, a senior leadership group that ensured the application of best practices and technology across the global exploration portfolio.

Yilmaz earned a master’s degree in Geology from Louisiana State University.