BP removes chairman Albert Manifold over governance concerns

BP has removed chairman Albert Manifold with immediate effect after serious concerns over governance standards, oversight and conduct, with the BBC understanding that bullying and overbearing behaviour were among the issues. The company said the board acted unanimously, and senior independent director Ian Tyler has stepped in as interim chair.

What BP said
BP said the dismissal followed “serious concerns” tied to “important governance standards, oversight and conduct.”
The company did not confirm whether bullying was part of the reason for Manifold’s removal.

Board reaction
Senior independent director Amanda Blanc said the board was “surprised and disappointed” by governance oversight and conduct issues it considered unacceptable.
She said the board had taken decisive action after learning of the concerns.

Share reaction and timing
BP shares fell by about 5% after the announcement.
Manifold had joined BP in September 2025 as a non-executive director and became chair the following month.

Governance backdrop
Manifold’s departure follows pressure from some shareholders, including nearly a fifth who voted against his election at last month’s AGM because of governance concerns.
The criticism was linked in part to BP’s handling of a climate activist resolution and broader worries about governance and climate reporting.

Strategic context
Manifold had been brought in to help steer BP away from renewable energy and back toward oil and gas.
The company recently reported a doubling of profit to $3.2 billion for the January-to-March period, helped by stronger oil trading performance during the Iran war.

What happens next
BP said it will begin searching for a permanent chair.
Tyler said the board remains committed to BP’s strategy and praised chief executive Meg O’Neill, who has begun restructuring the company around a clearer upstream/downstream model.

Featured image credits: Picasa via Wikimedia Commons

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