Fired BP chair disputes oil company’s claims of poor conduct
BP’s ousted chair Albert Manifold rejects the company’s misconduct claims, saying he was removed without warning as leadership turmoil deepens.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
Manifold, removed after less than a year, says BP acted without warning and that the allegations against him are false. The dispute adds another governance crisis to a company already in a strategic reset and under investor pressure.
BP changed the person in charge of its board, then the two sides started arguing about why it happened. Manifold says he was pushed out suddenly and that the bad conduct story is not true.
It is a bit like a sports team swapping captains and then arguing in public about whether the captain broke the rules. That kind of fight can distract everyone from playing well.
For BP, the bigger issue is that it is already changing its plan for the future. If the top people keep changing, investors may get nervous and the company’s value can drop.
Analysis
What happened
BP removed chair Albert Manifold with immediate effect after less than a year in the role, saying it had serious concerns about his governance standards, oversight and conduct. Manifold pushed back in an emailed statement, saying he was removed without warning or explanation and rejecting the company’s characterisation of his behaviour.
Why the dispute matters
The article says reports from Reuters and the Financial Times described complaints about Manifold from colleagues, including allegations of aggressive behaviour and attempts to act like an executive rather than a chair. Those are presented as reports, not as findings independently established in the article. Manifold, meanwhile, says he worked to drive change at BP by cutting costs and challenging excess, and that the board acknowledged the pace and focus he brought.
BP’s boardroom upheaval comes during a wider strategic shift. Manifold was brought in after investor pressure helped push out Helge Lund, and he quickly oversaw the removal of chief executive Murray Auchincloss before hiring Meg O’Neill, who joined in April. The company is continuing a move away from renewables and toward fossil fuel extraction. BP has now appointed Ian Tyler as interim chair while it searches for a permanent replacement, and it is looking for its third chair in two years. The leadership instability has already hit the market: BP’s shares fell 4% on Tuesday and slipped further on Wednesday morning.
Key points
- BP removed chair Albert Manifold immediately after less than a year in the role.
- Manifold says he was fired without warning and disputes the conduct allegations.
- BP says it had serious concerns about his governance, oversight and behaviour.
- The company has appointed Ian Tyler as interim chair while it searches for a replacement.
- BP shares fell after the announcement, adding market pressure to the leadership shake-up.
