BP has removed chairman Albert Manifold with immediate effect, ending a tenure that began less than a year ago and triggering fresh scrutiny of the oil major's boardroom governance.

The company said the decision followed "serious concerns" linked to "important governance standards, oversight and conduct". The BBC reported that those concerns included allegations of "bullying" and "overbearing" behaviour, although BP declined to confirm that as a formal reason for his dismissal.

Manifold rejected the characterisation of his conduct. In a statement, he said he disputed it entirely and would not let what he called a false narrative go unanswered. He also said he had been removed "without warning and without explanation".

BP said the board's decision was unanimous. Senior independent director Amanda Blanc said the board had been surprised and disappointed to learn of governance oversight and conduct issues it considered unacceptable and had acted decisively. Senior independent director Ian Tyler has taken over as interim chair while the company begins the search for a permanent replacement.

The abrupt change comes after a turbulent period for BP's leadership and strategy. Manifold joined the company as a non-executive director in September 2025 and became chair the following month. At the time, BP said he had a strong record of strategic leadership and operational delivery. His exit also follows an annual general meeting in which nearly a fifth of shareholders voted against his election, reflecting concerns already circulating around governance.

The BBC reported that some criticism was tied to the company's handling of a shareholder resolution filed by climate activists, as well as broader dissatisfaction over how BP had dealt with climate-related reporting and governance questions. The company had also been under pressure to move on from Manifold's predecessor, but the vote against him showed that support for the chair was not secure.

BP's removal of Manifold landed on top of a period of operational and market change for the company. The BBC said shares fell about 5% after the news, underscoring the sensitivity of the boardroom shake-up for investors. The company has not suggested that chief executive Meg O'Neill's position is under threat, and the interim chair said the board retained deep conviction in the strategic direction already set out.

Tyler said he had been very impressed with O'Neill since she took over last December and pointed to steps she has already taken to simplify and strengthen the organisation, including a move toward a clearly defined upstream and downstream model. The BBC also noted that Manifold had been brought in to steer BP away from a stronger renewable focus and back toward oil and gas, meaning his removal is likely to be read not just as a personnel change but as part of a wider debate over strategy and oversight.

The company said it will now start the search for a new permanent chair. For BP, the immediate task is to contain the governance fallout while preserving continuity at board level and avoiding a broader challenge to the direction the company says it has already chosen.