Craig Morford, Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary for Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM), has announced his retirement, effective July 1, 2024.
The Board of Directors has elected Jeff Taylor to succeed him in these roles.
Morford joined ExxonMobil in 2019 as Deputy General Counsel, bringing extensive legal expertise from his prior roles in both the United States Department of Justice and private industry.
During his more than 20 years with the Department of Justice, Morford served as U.S. Attorney in Michigan and Tennessee, and as First Assistant U.S. Attorney in Ohio.
In 2007, he was appointed Acting Deputy Attorney General by President George W. Bush.
Before joining ExxonMobil, Morford was the Chief Legal and Compliance Officer for Cardinal Health, a multinational healthcare services company.
“Craig has been a valued member of our Corporate Leadership Team during his time as General Counsel, providing his strong legal experience and counsel to advance our strategic priorities,” said Darren Woods, CEO and Chairman of ExxonMobil.
“He leaves our company well-positioned for the future, and we thank him for his contributions to ExxonMobil.”
Jeff Taylor, who will be succeeding Morford, joined ExxonMobil in May 2024 from Fox Corporation, where he served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel.
Taylor’s extensive background includes positions as Deputy General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for General Motors Co., and General Counsel of Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems.
He also spent over 15 years in the federal government, holding roles such as U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Counselor to the Attorney General, Counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, and Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California.
Taylor holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Stanford University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.
“We also welcome Jeff to ExxonMobil. He brings the right blend of corporate governance and legal expertise, and I look forward to working with him,” Woods added.
Morford’s retirement marks the end of a distinguished five-year tenure as General Counsel at ExxonMobil, during which he played a pivotal role in guiding the company through numerous legal and strategic challenges.
His successor, Taylor, is expected to continue this legacy of strong leadership and legal acumen as ExxonMobil navigates the evolving energy landscape.