ConocoPhillips – “ConocoPhillips - A Good Company with Potential To Be Great!”

Pros

It is a large reputable company which is more stable than many of the smaller independents oil and gas companies

Cons

Upper management is from financial side of the business and are therefore more interested in stock price than in long term sustainability. They continuously cut corners to improve the bottom line without regard to the long term effects. Similarly, like most other majors, they are not being proactive in transitioning from an oil/gas company into a energy company that includes renewables. Most of their alternative energy work is fundamentally based on hydrocarbons. There is also a significant dissention between the heritage Conoco and heritage Phillips employees. This feud has been the basis for many poor decisions that have been made in the past.

Advice to Senior Management

Recruit/promote more management personel with hands on experiance in the industry. CEO's should be operational in nature, leaving the financial/stock market aspects to the CFO. It would also be wise to create a balance of heritage company personel. The biggest action they can take is to lead the company to be an energy company.