LONDON: British oil giant BP said on Tuesday (May 26) that it had removed Albert Manifold as chairman after less than one year in the role, citing “serious concerns” about governance standards, oversight and conduct at the company.
“The board has been surprised and disappointed to learn of governance oversight and conduct issues it deems unacceptable and has taken decisive action,” Amanda Blanc, a senior independent director at BP, said in a statement.
It did not give specific details of the alleged conduct.
Shares in the company plunged more than six per cent after the surprise announcement.
The company said board member Ian Tyler has been appointed interim chairman with immediate effect.
Manifold became chairman in October last year as BP focused on pivoting back to its more profitable oil and gas business, slashing clean energy investments.
His departure represents the latest leadership shakeup after company outsider Meg O’Neill became chief executive in April with a mission of implementing a recovery plan for the group.
The new management faced a shareholder backlash at its annual meeting last month as investors rejected a resolution that would have reduced its climate reporting requirements.
Some of the investor discontent was directed at Manifold, when 82 per cent of shareholders voted in favour of his election – below the near-unanimous support typically received by directors.
BP reported a sharp increase in profits in the first quarter as crude oil prices soared amid the Middle East war.