KBH Energy Center honors ExxonMobil’s Darren Woods

ExxonMobil CEO and Chairman Darren Woods received the Kay Bailey Hutchison Energy Center’s Award for Outstanding Excellence in the Energy Industry at the beginning of the KBH Energy Center’s 2025 Symposium.

Woods has led ExxonMobil since 2017. Under his leadership, the company has increased its production capacity, executed major acquisitions, and embraced advanced energy technologies. He also led an overhaul of the company that made it more efficient.

ExxonMobil has been a committed partner to UT Austin for 50 years, with more than $82 million in total contributions from the company and its foundation to UT Austin for student success initiatives, faculty research, academic programs, and other support. More than 2,500 UT Austin graduates have worked at ExxonMobil.

“I’ve always held a deep respect for the University of Texas – especially for the boldness of its motto: ‘What Starts Here Changes the World.’ At ExxonMobil, we have a similar belief. Every day, our people work to improve lives and living standards through the energy, products, and solutions we provide.”

Woods said he accepted the award on behalf of the 60,000 men and women who work at ExxonMobil. “Their excellence, their dedication, and their innovation define our company. The success I’ve enjoyed in my 33-year career at the company is largely thanks to them and to the great mentors and colleagues I’ve had over the years.”

Woods said it is a “moral imperative” to end energy poverty for the 4 billion people around the world who do not have access to the reliable energy they need. He also identified two truths that will guide the future: the fact that energy is essential, and the fact that the world needs solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“All of us at ExxonMobil are aware of our obligation to be good stewards of the legacy we’ve inherited,” he said.

The morning after he received the award, Woods kicked off the KBH Energy Center’s 11th annual Symposium with an on-stage discussion with Jack Balagia, the Executive Director of the KBH Energy Center and the former ExxonMobil Vice President and General Counsel.

This 2025 KBH Energy Center Symposium drew a record crowd, with more than 600 students, energy professionals, and industry leaders in the audience for a full day of panels and interviews. The sessions looked at the energy sector from a variety of perspectives, including the impact of AI, regulatory issues, finance issues, and the relationship between energy and national security.