Trisha Conley
EVP, People & Culture (CHRO)
LyondellBasell
Trisha Conley is the EVP, People and Culture at LyondellBasell. She has more than 25 years of experience in human resources, talent management, culture and organizational change, global integration and business organizational design.
She is often described as a disruptor, and she likes making change that positively impacts the culture of an organization and the people in it. When she is not working, she is spending time with her husband John and her two college aged kiddos, Nataliya and Ian – they enjoy traveling and seeing new places in the world. She is also an avid road cyclist, participating in the Houston MS150 and Iowa RAGBRAI event annually.
Learn more about the Houston CHRO community here.
Give us a brief overview of the path that led to your current role.
I have done a variety of HR roles over the past 25 years, both as a generalist and in all of the HR COEs. I spent 20 years at BP in progressively senior roles but knew I always wanted to be a CHRO. I left BP to take up my first CHRO role at a small publicly traded biodiesel and renewable diesel company called REG before it was purchased by Chevron. After integrating REG into Chevron, I joined LyondellBasell, where I have led the HR function since February of 2023.
What is one of your guiding leadership principles?
Who you work for matters almost as much as the role you are in, so make sure you choose a leader who you respect and from whom you can learn and develop. Try to be the leader you would want to work for!
What is the greatest challenge CHROs face today, and how are you addressing it?
The evolution of a productive workplace in the world of hybrid working and the introduction of AI.
What is the key to success for someone just starting out as a CHRO?
Be confident but humble, and always be authentic. Know your mentors and seek out their help if you are feeling alone and unsure of what to do. Listen and don't try to change everything at once. The ship was floating before you arrived, so make sure you keep the good stuff and continuously approve the stuff that's not so good.
How do you measure success as a leader?
The diversity of my team, the level of healthy challenge within my team and a strong work ethic with a performance edge.
What is the value of being a member of the Evanta community?
The ability to grow my Houston network.
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