By Benson Daniel
BP has appointed former Balfour Beatty chief executive Ian Tyler as its permanent chair, ending a turbulent period for the British energy giant following the contentious removal of Albert Manifold in May.
Tyler, who had served as interim chair since Manifold’s departure, will now take permanent responsibility for leading the company’s board as BP continues to reshape its strategy and strengthen its financial performance.
Manifold was removed less than eight months after taking the chair, with BP citing serious concerns relating to governance, oversight and conduct. The former chair has disputed the company’s account and is challenging the circumstances surrounding his departure.
Tyler joined BP’s board as a non executive director in April 2025 and was appointed interim chair after Manifold’s removal. Before joining BP, he spent several years in senior corporate leadership positions, including serving as chief executive of construction and infrastructure group Balfour Beatty.
He is also chair of building materials company Grafton Group and serves as senior independent director at mining giant Anglo American.
His permanent appointment comes at a critical point for BP, which has undergone significant leadership changes as it attempts to improve profitability, strengthen its balance sheet and refocus its portfolio.
BP’s new chief executive, Meg O’Neill, who took over in April, has outlined a strategy centred on strengthening the balance sheet, simplifying the company’s portfolio, tightening investment discipline, improving operational performance and speeding up decision making.
Tyler is expected to work closely with O’Neill and the rest of the board as the company pursues those priorities and seeks to restore investor confidence.
The leadership change also comes as BP benefits from stronger energy prices and improved earnings across its oil and gas operations. The company’s shares have gained strongly this year, although investors remain focused on whether its strategic reset can deliver sustained improvements in returns.
Tyler said his priority would be to strengthen the board and ensure it has the experience and capabilities required to support BP’s long term objectives. He also pledged regular and transparent engagement with shareholders.
The appointment closes the interim phase that followed Manifold’s sudden departure but does not completely end the leadership changes at board level.
BP’s senior independent director, Amanda Blanc, who oversaw both the appointment of Manifold and the subsequent transition to Tyler, has said she will not seek re election at the company’s next annual general meeting. She will remain in place until a successor is appointed.
The changes underline the degree of leadership turnover BP has experienced in recent years as the company has faced pressure from investors over its strategy, performance and approach to the energy transition.
Under O’Neill, BP has been moving towards a stronger emphasis on its traditional oil and gas business while seeking greater financial discipline and improved shareholder returns.
Tyler’s appointment is therefore expected to play an important role in providing stability at board level as BP implements the next phase of its strategy.
For investors, the immediate focus will be on whether the new leadership structure can deliver more consistent execution, improve returns and bring greater stability to a company that has experienced repeated changes at the top.
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