BP has replaced its pro-Net Zero chairman as it faces pressure from shareholders to switch its focus away from renewables after its disastrous 2020 commitment to cut hydrocarbon output by 40%. The Telegraph has the story.
Albert Manifold, who was chief executive of the building materials company CRH for a decade, will take over from Helge Lund, who announced his departure three months ago.
Mr Manifold will take charge in October at a crucial time for the FTSE 100 oil giant, which is struggling with a debt mountain, poor share performance and a reputation tarnished by its disastrous 2020 commitment to cut fossil fuel output by 40%.
Mr Lund had strongly backed the drive towards renewables led by disgraced former chief executive Bernard Looney, who abruptly resigned in September 2023 after failing to disclose relationships with employees.
Mr Lund has been under increasing pressure over that debacle, announcing plans to step down in April but remaining in place pending the appointment.
Dame Amanda Blanc, an independent director at BP, said incoming chairman Mr Manifold had shown as “impressive track record of shareholder value creation at CRH”.
She said: “Albert has a relentless focus on performance which is well suited to BP’s needs now and into the future. He transformed and refocused CRH into a global leader by building on its rich heritage to deliver superior growth, cash generation and returns.”
Mr Manifold said the job would give him the “the opportunity to help the company reach its full potential”. Mr Manifold is currently a Non-Executive Director at chemicals producer LyondellBasell Industries and at consultant Mercury Engineering.
Worth reading in full.
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It’s a start!
Mr Manifold
Great name for an oil man.
“switch its focus away from renewables”
Bravo.
“So far in 2025, Britain has wasted £704,214,018 switching off wind turbines and paying gas plants to switch on.”
https://wastedwind.energy/2025-07-21
“On 20th July, wasted wind cost Britain:£1,170,267
£208,081 switching off wind turbines
£962,185 buying energy elsewhere”
So much for energy security.
Strat,
From your link, there’s a useful wind power map …
https://renewables-map.robinhawkes.com/#7.06/53.581/-4.655
gives capacities & present output
e.g. Walney Wind Farm 1025MW; 187MW = 18% capacity factor (good init)
From this sceptred isle to this utter basket case.
It’s a great yet little known site. Spread the word…
That’s a fantastic website, thank you
Beats Mr. Looney.
Yep: nominative determinism in action! [Though I should say that, though my name is Evans, I do not own any e-vans!]
“backed the drive towards renewables led by disgraced former chief executive Bernard Looney,“
Looney by name, Looney by nature !!!
Slowly but surely, sanity returns.
It has been shown that men go mad in crowds and slowly resume sanity one-by-one.
Did they get back all the money they paid this idiot?
Mad Ed update
Ed Miliband has pledged to stop noise rules blocking the installation of heat pumps – as his wife joins a protest against a new block of flats where his neighbours are objecting to the noisy heat pumps. The Telegraph has more.
https://dailysceptic.org/2025/07/22/miliband-to-stop-noise-rules-blocking-heat-pumps-as-his-wife-joins-protest-against-flats-with-noisy-heat-pumps/
Rules for thee but not for me.
The more government runs, the less the rules apply to those who run government.
It’s the socialist way.
I recall back when A.Gore pushed his Inconvenient Truth” propaganda, that Al became very close to BP and BP was looking to change its branding from British Petroleum to “Beyond Petroleum.”
That’s what you get for mixing business with politics.
I swear corporate mentality is barely better than government mentality. BP is in the energy business, primarily fossil fuel judging from the name. They have done very well in the past with their traditional business. Wind and solar are not viable businesses, Net Zero is a no starter. Stay with what works. Crackpot CEOs who cater to crackpot CAGW clowns need to be fired immediately.
The same applies to wokery. Jaguar being the most recent example.