BP said on Tuesday its board unanimously voted to remove chairman and director Albert Manifold after “serious concerns” were raised with the board about his conduct.
Amanda Blanc, senior independent director at BP, said in a statement that the oil giant “has been surprised and disappointed to learn of governance oversight and conduct issues it deems unacceptable and has taken decisive action.”
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Manifold was appointed to the position less than a year ago when the company was undergoing severe leadership turmoil.
Ian Tyler has been appointed as interim chairman, Blanc said in the statement, adding that the succession process for a permanent chairman has already started.
The move marks the latest upheaval for London-based BP, which has cycled through major leadership changes in recent years as investors pushed for stronger returns and questioned the company’s transition strategy.
Former CEO Bernard Looney resigned in 2023 after failing to disclose past workplace relationships fully. Former chief executive Murray Auchincloss stepped down in late 2025 amid pressure over BP’s lagging stock performance and concerns that the company had moved too aggressively away from profitable oil and gas operations.
Manifold, the former chief executive of Irish building materials company CRH, was appointed chairman in 2025 to help stabilize the company and restore investor confidence after years of chaos.
Seen as an outsider capable of reshaping BP, he quickly moved to streamline the board and pushed for a faster pivot back toward oil and gas production after shareholders criticized BP’s earlier focus on renewable energy spending.
His appointment came after the planned departure of former Chairman Helge Lund, who had faced investor backlash over BP’s strategy and weakening share performance. Manifold was expected to play a key role in resetting the company’s direction and recruited Meg O’Neill, formerly of Woodside Energy, to become BP’s chief executive earlier this year.
In the statement about Manifold’s removal, Blanc said the board is “impressed” with O’Neill’s leadership.
“She has extensive industry and operational experience and real clarity about the direction and opportunity for the business,” Blanc said. “She has already taken bold action to simplify and strengthen the organization such as announcing the move to a clearly defined upstream/downstream model. Under her leadership we are building a simpler, stronger, more valuable bp.”
BP shares dropped after the announcement Tuesday as investors reacted to the unexpected leadership shake-up and lack of detail surrounding Manifold’s removal.
BP declined to comment.
