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BP has sacked its chairman Albert Manifold with immediate effect, citing unacceptable governance and conduct issues in the latest blow to a company that has struggled to stabilise its leadership for years.
The board said it had been “surprised and disappointed” to learn of the issues and had taken “decisive action,” without elaborating on the specifics.
His sudden departure prolongs a period of severe leadership turmoil at BP, coming at a moment when the company was supposed to be turning itself around from years of poor performance.
London-listed shares fell as much as 9% on the news before paring losses and were last seen trading down nearly 6%.
Manifold had been in the role for less than eight months, having taken over as chairman in October 2025. He first joined the board in September 2025 as chair-elect.
He had played a central role in accelerating BP’s strategic pivot back toward fossil fuels, cutting spending on transition energy assets in a bid to revive the company’s ailing share price.
He had also been instrumental in the removal of former chief executive Murray Auchincloss and the appointment of his replacement, Meg O’Neill.
Another change at the top
Board member Ian Tyler has been appointed interim chair with immediate effect while a search for a permanent successor gets under way.
In a statement, Tyler said the board had “deep conviction” in BP’s strategic direction and praised O’Neill’s leadership since joining as chief executive, describing her decision to move to a clearly defined upstream/downstream model as bold and necessary.
The dismissal is the latest chapter in a turbulent period at BP, with former chief executive Bernard Looney resigning in September 2023 after he failed to disclose past sexual relationships with colleagues when he took on the role.
The company has since been cutting debt, chasing shareholder returns and attempting to simplify its structure under sustained pressure from investors.
BP has not specified what the governance and conduct concerns involved.