BP has named Ian Tyler as its new permanent chair, concluding a months-long search process that followed the contentious ouster of Albert Manifold. Tyler, who has served as interim chair since April 2025 and held a non-executive director position on the board, will assume the role with immediate effect.
Manifold’s departure occurred in late May after serving fewer than nine months as chair. The company attributed his removal to “serious concerns” about his tenure, citing governance and conduct issues that the board deemed unacceptable. Reports indicated that Manifold had been perceived as aggressive by senior colleagues and had operated as though he held an executive position rather than serving in a chair capacity. Manifold disputed these characterizations and stated the company had terminated his employment without advance warning.
Amanda Blanc, BP’s senior independent director who oversaw the search for a new chair, announced she would resign at the company’s next annual meeting. Blanc had led the selection process that resulted in Manifold’s appointment to succeed Helge Lund but came under scrutiny for having praised Manifold during his appointment announcement. She described him as having demonstrated a “relentless focus on performance,” though she later cited governance failures as justification for his removal.
Tyler brings extensive corporate governance experience, having previously served as chief executive of Balfour Beatty and currently chairing Grafton Group and serving as senior independent director at Anglo American. He will oversee BP’s strategic shift toward increased fossil fuel extraction while reducing renewable energy commitments. Chief Executive Meg O’Neill, who took office in April as the company’s third leader in under five years, has been pursuing this operational direction amid pressure from hedge fund Elliott Investment Management, which acquired a stake in the company.
Shareholder activists and governance advocates have raised questions about Tyler’s effectiveness in addressing longstanding boardroom challenges. Follow This, a Dutch activist investor group, noted that Tyler’s board service since 2025 means he shares responsibility for current governance issues and expressed interest in seeing how he would address prior shareholder opposition to company policies.
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