UK-based energy giant bp announced on Tuesday that it has removed recently-appointed Chair Albert Manifold, following “serious concerns raised to the Board related to important governance standards, oversight and conduct.”
The announcement comes only months after Manifold’s appointment as Chair in October 2025, and adds to a series of changes in the top ranks at the company, following the departure of CEO Murray Auchincloss in December. Auchincloss took over the position from Bernard Looney, who held the CEO role from 2020 to 2023, and resigned after failing to disclose relationships with colleagues. Bp’s new CEO, Meg O’Neill, formally took over the role last month.
Manifold was appointed by the board following a significant shift in strategy by the company in early 2025, reversing earlier plans to reduce oil and gas production over time while increasing investments in low carbon energy sources. The new strategy includes reallocating capital to increase oil and gas investment and reducing low carbon energy to less than 5% of the company’s capex allocation.
Amanda Blanc, Senior Independent Director at bp, said:
“Albert has helped bring a welcome focus and pace to bp’s transformation. However, the board has been surprised and disappointed to learn of governance oversight and conduct issues it deems unacceptable and has taken decisive action.”
Manifold faced his first shareholder vote as Chair at bp’s AGM in April, and notably only received the support of around 82% of shareholders. Shareholders at the AGM also defeated resolutions that would have enabled the company to eliminate some climate-related disclosures, and to hold virtual AGMs going forward. The shareholder action followed a campaign by climate activist group Follow This and several institutional investors, after bp had refused to include a resolution filed by the group requesting that the company disclose a strategy for creating shareholder value under scenarios of declining oil and gas demand.
