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Or sign-in if you have an account.A company logo sits at a BP Plc petrol and refueling station in London, U.K., on Aug. 4, 2020. Photo by Luke MacGregor/BloombergBP Plc has ousted its chair Albert Manifold following “serious concerns” over his behaviour, including allegations of bullying, in the latest blow to the U.K. oil major that has suffered years of strategic and boardroom upheaval.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorShares in BP fell four per cent on Tuesday after the company announced it was removing Manifold less than a year after he was appointed, citing issues with “governance standards, oversight and conduct.”One person close to the company alleged Manifold had engaged in bullying inside BP, adding there had been “a pattern of behaviour that was unacceptable” and against the company’s code of conduct, leaving it with no choice but to remove him.They claimed BP had received “a number” of whistleblower complaints against Manifold through its internal helpline.Manifold, a former chief executive of Irish building supplies group CRH, was viewed by other BP directors as too aggressive, according to other people familiar with discussions inside the company.Several colleagues saw the level of control he exerted as more akin to that of an executive chair, these people claimed.They alleged Manifold at times spoke down to senior members of staff, both in one-to-one encounters as well as in larger meetings.One person familiar with BP claimed that describing Manifold as “shouty” was “understating it,” adding: “They thought they were hiring a tough change agent, they didn’t think they were hiring a bully.”The move to oust Manifold comes just weeks after Meg O’Neill became BP chief executive.One person with knowledge of the matter claimed Manifold had attempted to restrict O’Neill’s ability to meet independently with BP’s non-executive directors.O’Neill, who started in April and is the first woman to take the top manager job at BP, forged a reputation as a tough operator as head of Australia’s Woodside Energy and is said to have bristled at challenges to her authority.O’Neill has moved swiftly to make her own imprint on BP by splitting it into two main business units, marking a return to the oil major’s structure before its 2020 decision to transform itself into a renewable energy company.Manifold told the FT that BP’s decision to remove him came “out of the blue” and he needed time to reflect before commenting further.BP declined to comment on whether it had received complaints about Manifold’s behaviour from staff, or over what period the allegations might have been made.Amanda Blanc, BP’s senior independent director, 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 was appointed BP’s chair in July last year, replacing Helge Lund after six troubled years steering the company.Manifold’s arrival came months after activist investor Elliott Management disclosed a significant stake in BP. Elliott has pushed for cost cuts and a focus on its core oil and gas business.He survived an investor rebellion at BP’s annual meeting last month. More than 18 per cent of investors voted against his election, after advisory group Glass Lewis raised concerns about governance.BP announced its pivot to become a green energy company in 2020 under then chief executive Bernard Looney.The U.K.-listed company later reversed course, but the path to regaining its status as an oil and gas-producing heavyweight has been dogged by frequent management upheaval.Looney was ousted as BP chief executive in 2023 after admitting he had failed to disclose the extent of past personal relationships with company employees.He became the third BP chief executive to leave the company under a cloud since 2007, when Lord John Browne stepped down following revelations he had lied to a U.K. court. Tony Hayward stepped down as BP’s top manager in 2010 after an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.BP appointed O’Neill in a bid to steady the company’s operations, replacing Murray Auchincloss after less than two years in the role.BP said on Tuesday that board member Ian Tyler would become interim chair. Tyler is a former chief executive of Balfour Beatty and has served as an independent non-executive director at BP since last April.Tyler said BP’s board had been “very impressed” with O’Neill since she took on the role.The company’s leadership still had “deep conviction in the strategic direction we have laid out, and the company is moving at pace to deliver it”, he added.BP said it would launch a process to find a new chair on a permanent basis.© 2026 The Financial Times Ltd Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. 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