ToplineBP announced on Tuesday the removal of chair Albert Manifold, citing concerns about “oversight and conduct” just eight months into Manifold’s tenure in the latest instance of leadership turmoil for the British oil firm in recent years.Manifold held the role for just eight months amid broader leadership concerns at the firm. PA Images via Getty ImagesKey FactsBP’s board said in a statement that Manifold was removed from his role as chair and director following “serious concerns raised to the board related to important governance standards, oversight and conduct,” though it did not provide additional details.Amanda Blanc, BP’s senior independent director, said in a statement that while Manifold brought a “welcome focus and pace” to a turnaround for the firm, its board was “surprised and disappointed” to learn about the oversight and conduct issues.Ian Tyler, who previously served as Balfour Beatty’s chief executive and is the chair of the building supplies firm Grafton Group, was appointed as interim chair.Shares of BP dropped 5.3% in premarket trading following the announcement.Manifold’s Eight Months As Bp ChairManifold was appointed to BP’s board in October 2025 as part of a broader effort for the company to regain investor confidence. He opened his short tenure by reportedly asking employees to act with “urgency” to cut costs, sell assets and improve profits, as well as boosting investments in fossil fuels after a failed bet on renewable energy. Manifold then played a role in removing former CEO Murray Auchincloss and the appointment of former Exxon executive Meg O’Neill in December.Key BackgroundManifold’s appointment as BP’s chair followed years of the oil giant falling behind its rivals and leadership turmoil at the firm. Auchincloss was appointed as BP’s chief executive following the resignation of Bernard Looney, who stepped down in 2023 after Looney failed to disclose past relationships with colleagues. Looney, who started with the British oil company in 1991 and worked his way up to CEO in 2020, was said to be the leader to transition BP into renewable energy and he himself advocated for cutting the company’s emissions to net zero by 2050. Further ReadingForbesBP Chief Stepping Down Over Personal Relationships With ColleaguesBy Ana Faguy