BP Removes Chairman Albert Manifold Amid Conduct Concerns

Energy giant BP has removed Albert Manifold from his roles as chairman and director with immediate effect after serious concerns were raised regarding governance, oversight, and workplace conduct, marking another major leadership change at the company.

The BP board unanimously voted to remove Manifold and appointed BP director Ian Tyler as interim chairman while the company begins searching for a permanent replacement.

According to the BBC, the concerns surrounding Manifold included allegations of “bullying” and “overbearing” behavior. Manifold rejected those claims in comments to Bloomberg News, saying he “entirely disputes the characterisation of his conduct” and would not allow “a false narrative to go unchallenged.” He also stated that he had been “removed without warning and without explanation.”

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,” said Amanda Blanc, BP’s senior independent director.

Manifold’s time at BP was relatively brief. He joined the board in September 2025 and became chairman just one month later. Before joining BP, he spent nearly three decades with Irish building materials company CRH, including 10 years serving as chief executive officer.

Senior leadership positions at BP have seen frequent turnover in recent years. The company has now changed its top leadership role five times since 2020 and three times since 2023. Former CEO Bernard Looney was dismissed in 2023 after misleading the board about personal relationships with colleagues. His successor, Murray Auchincloss, departed suddenly in December 2025 without a detailed public explanation, with former Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill immediately appointed as his replacement.