BP has removed its chair, Albert Manifold, citing serious concerns over governance standards, oversight, and conduct. The FTSE 100 company announced his departure with immediate effect on Tuesday, after only eight months in the role.
Manifold's conduct was reportedly considered too aggressive by other directors, with reports suggesting he tried to exert control in an executive manner rather than as a chair. The FT reported that senior colleagues felt belittled, and newly installed chief executive Meg O'Neill was said to have bristled at some of his interventions.
BP's share price fell 4% on the day, after briefly slumping 9% following the announcement. Amanda Blanc, BP's senior independent director and Aviva CEO, said the board was 'surprised and disappointed' by the issues and had taken decisive action.
Manifold was appointed in October 2025 to oversee a strategic shift back to fossil fuels. He quickly ousted former CEO Murray Auchincloss and hired O'Neill. He is the second senior BP leader to lose his job for conduct reasons in three years, following Bernard Looney's departure in 2023 over undisclosed relationships.
BP has appointed Ian Tyler, a board member and former Balfour Beatty CEO, as interim chair. The company will now search for its third chair in two years, after Helge Lund was ousted in 2025 following investor pressure.
Mark van Baal of shareholder group Follow This said BP still needs governance reform, urging the new chair to bring expertise in climate risk. Despite the turmoil, analyst Maurizio Carulli of Quilter Cheviot noted that BP's operational improvements and strategic refocusing are the result of the entire organisation's efforts.
