BP backs Amanda Blanc to lead search for new chair despite investor concerns
BP has asked Amanda Blanc to lead the search for a new chair again, despite shareholder concerns after Albert Manifold's abrupt exit.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
BP is keeping Amanda Blanc in charge of finding its next chair, even as some investors question whether she should run the process again after the last chair was removed. The move comes amid fresh boardroom turmoil and more scrutiny of BP's governance.
BP is trying to find a new boss for its board, called a chair. It wants Amanda Blanc to lead that search again, even though some investors do not love that idea.
Think of it like a school group picking a team captain after the last captain left in a hurry. If people do not trust the person running the vote, they may worry the result will not be fair.
BP has had a lot of leadership changes lately, so this is not just one small staffing issue. It is about whether the company can calm things down and make people trust its decisions again.
Analysis
What happened
BP has asked Amanda Blanc, its senior independent director and also the chief executive of Aviva, to lead the search for a new chair after Albert Manifold’s shock departure last week. The interim chair, Ian Tyler, said the board wanted Blanc to run a “rigorous process” with the whole board involved and the final choice reflecting the board’s collective view.
Why investors are uneasy
Some shareholders have raised concerns about Blanc leading the process again. She handled BP’s previous search for a successor to Helge Lund in 2025, which led to Manifold’s appointment in July. That earlier process now sits in the middle of a broader argument about whether the company’s governance is working well enough.
The wider backdrop
Manifold’s time at BP was brief and contentious. He took over in October and was removed after only eight months, after BP said there were governance oversight and conduct issues it considered unacceptable. Manifold rejected BP’s account, saying he was fired “without warning and without explanation” and disputing the company’s portrayal of his conduct.
The article places the dispute inside a longer period of boardroom instability. BP has already replaced chief executive Murray Auchincloss after less than two years, following the earlier removal of Bernard Looney in 2023. The story also notes that investors had already been restless: at Manifold’s first annual meeting, 18% of votes opposed his re-election after he blocked a Follow This resolution on oil and gas demand risk.
The immediate issue is not BP’s operating performance but whether the company can restore confidence in how it chooses and oversees top leadership.
Key points
- BP has asked Amanda Blanc to lead the search for a new chair again.
- Some shareholders have questioned whether she should run the process after Albert Manifold's removal.
- BP says the search will be rigorous and involve the full board.
- Manifold was removed after BP cited governance oversight and conduct issues.
- The episode adds to a run of leadership upheaval at BP.
If the search is seen as fair and thorough, BP could use it to rebuild trust after a run of leadership changes. A chair chosen through a process the whole board supports may help steady governance and reduce investor doubt.
If shareholders keep questioning Blanc’s role, the search could deepen the perception of instability instead of fixing it. More conflict around the board may make it harder for BP to reassure investors after the recent chair and CEO turnover.
