BP has appointed Ian Tyler as its permanent chair, replacing Albert Manifold after his abrupt departure in May over concerns about governance, oversight and conduct. Tyler, who had served as interim chair since May 26, joined BP’s board as a non-executive director in April 2025 and takes the permanent role with immediate effect, as reported by Reuters and Financial Times.
Tyler brings extensive leadership experience to BP, having spent 17 years at Balfour Beatty, where he served as chief executive from 2005 to 2013. He is currently chair of building materials group Grafton Group and senior independent director of mining company Anglo American. He has also previously chaired Cairn Energy, Vistry Group and Affinity Water.
His appointment comes as BP seeks to restore stability after a period of significant leadership turnover and sharpen its strategic focus under CEO Meg O’Neill, who took over in April. The company is prioritising balance sheet strength, portfolio simplification, tighter investment discipline, operational improvement and faster decision making, with a target of reducing net debt to $14 billion to $18 billion by 2027.
Tyler said he would lead the evolution of BP’s board and strengthen its depth and capabilities while establishing regular and transparent engagement with shareholders. Meanwhile, Senior Independent Director Amanda Blanc, who oversaw both the Manifold and Tyler appointments, will not seek re election at next year’s annual general meeting and will step down once her successor is appointed.
