Albert Manifold, the ousted chair of BP, has hit back at the oil giant, accusing it of firing him without warning and disputing claims about his behaviour. In an emailed statement, Manifold said he 'dispute[s] entirely the characterisation of my conduct' and vowed not to let a 'false narrative go unchallenged'.
BP announced Manifold's departure with immediate effect on Tuesday, citing serious concerns over his governance standards, oversight and conduct. Reports described his behaviour as aggressive, with colleagues feeling belittled, and the board reportedly received a whistleblower report detailing a pattern of unacceptable conduct.
Manifold was appointed in October 2025, tasked with steering BP back towards fossil fuels after its net-zero strategy was abandoned under former chair Helge Lund. He quickly ousted CEO Murray Auchincloss and hired former ExxonMobil executive Meg O'Neill, who joined in April as BP's fifth CEO since 2020.
In his statement, Manifold defended his tenure, saying he 'worked to drive genuine change at BP – cutting costs, challenging excess, and holding the organisation to higher standards'. He added the board had acknowledged the 'focus and pace' he brought.
BP has appointed Ian Tyler as interim chair while it searches for a permanent replacement. The company's share price fell 4% on Tuesday and slid further on Wednesday, prompting analyst Rich McDonald to question whether BP is 'becoming increasingly ungovernable'.
