Albert Manifold, the ousted chair of BP, has accused the oil company of dismissing him without warning and has strongly disputed claims about his behaviour, vowing not to let a “false narrative” stand unchallenged. In an emailed statement, Manifold said he was “removed without warning and without explanation” by the FTSE 100 firm, and added: “I dispute entirely the characterisation of my conduct and I will not allow a false narrative to go unchallenged.”
BP announced Manifold’s departure with immediate effect on Tuesday, less than a year into his tenure, citing serious concerns over his governance standards, oversight and conduct. Reports described his behaviour as aggressive, with the Financial Times noting that senior colleagues felt belittled and that he was perceived as trying to exert executive-level control. Reuters reported that a whistleblower complaint provided enough information for the board to identify a pattern of unacceptable behaviour.
Manifold was appointed in October 2025, succeeding Helge Lund, who was ousted after investor pressure over BP’s abandoned net-zero strategy. He quickly removed chief executive Murray Auchincloss and hired former ExxonMobil executive Meg O’Neill, who joined in April as BP’s fifth CEO since 2020. Manifold defended his record, stating he “worked to drive genuine change at BP – cutting costs, challenging excess, and holding the organisation to higher standards.”
BP signalled it would continue its strategy of refocusing on fossil fuels, and appointed board member Ian Tyler as interim chair while a permanent replacement is sought. The company’s share price fell further on Wednesday after closing down 4% on Tuesday. Rich McDonald of IG called the firing “another leadership shock” and questioned whether BP is “becoming increasingly ungovernable.”
