Albert Manifold, the ousted chair of BP, has hit back at what he called “lies” about his conduct, deepening the boardroom turmoil at the oil giant. In a lengthy statement, Manifold denied allegations that he behaved aggressively or sought to exert control like an executive chair, saying no one had raised any issues with him during his tenure.
Manifold was removed from his role on Tuesday after less than a year, with BP citing serious concerns over his governance standards, oversight and conduct. Media reports, citing anonymous sources, described his behaviour as aggressive. Manifold challenged these reports, stating: “What I do not accept is that lies can be told about me, nor that anyone should be allowed to hide behind anonymity when commenting on my time at BP.”
Manifold conceded he may have “pushed hard and challenged people directly” in his drive to cut costs and refocus the company on fossil fuels, but insisted there was a “considerable distance” between that and the characterisation of his conduct. He noted that such accusations had never been made in his 40-year career. He also rejected reports that he wanted to act as an executive chair, saying he had many other commitments and had spent only 13 days in BP’s London office this year.
Manifold highlighted that he had turned down perks such as chauffeur-driven cars, private jets and corporate hospitality, which he called a “culture of entitlement”. He said he made his own coffee, bought lunch from a local cafe, and sat in a small office to “set an example” while the company was cutting costs and jobs. He praised BP’s executive team under CEO Meg O’Neill as “honest, hard-working … brimming with integrity”.
BP responded on Thursday, saying: “We note the comments of our former chair. We stand by the statement we have made. We have a duty of care to all our employees, particularly those impacted by his behaviour.” The company has appointed Ian Tyler as interim chair while a search for a permanent replacement takes place.
