BP chef resigns over failure to reveal all past relationships with colleagues

The CEO of British oil giant BP has resigned after admitting that he failed to disclose the extent of all of his past personal relationships with colleagues prior to assuming this position.

As reported by the Financial Times, BP received complaints in May 2022 over Bernard Looney’s “conduct in respect of personal relationships with company colleagues” which prompted an internal investigation. Though no breach of conduct was discovered during the initial review, “further allegations of a similar nature were received recently, and the company immediately began investigating with the support of external legal counsel”.

The BP boss announced on September 12 that he "was not fully transparent in his previous disclosures” and did not provide details of all relationships and "accepts he was obligated to make more complete disclosure".

The Irish citizen joined BP in 1991 and spent his entire career there before being appointed CEO in 2020.

According to a press release received by Bloomberg, BP CFO Murray Auchincloss will act as CEO on an interim basis.