Albert Manifold said no one at BP (BP.) challenged him about his conduct before Tuesday鈥檚 surprise sacking and labelled various accusations about bullying and interference as 鈥渓ies鈥�.
The oil major said Manifold, appointed in October, had to go after 鈥渟erious concerns [were] raised to the board related to important governance standards, oversight and conduct鈥�.
Reports have focused on the former CRH (US:CRH) boss鈥檚 way of talking to colleagues and relationship with chief executive Meg O鈥橬eill, who he helped appoint.
Manifold said he came up against a culture of corporate entitlement. 鈥淚s it possible that in my determination to drive change on costs, performance, the balance sheet and shareholder communications, I pushed hard and challenged people directly? Yes, it is,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut there is a considerable distance between driving an organisation with urgency and the characterisation of my conduct that is now being put about.
鈥淲hen I arrived at bp last year, I found a company that, in my view, lacked strategic cohesion and direction. I also believe it lacked clarity on messaging, urgency of delivery, and I believe those issues could have impacted shareholders鈥� interests.鈥�
He also said that claims he had acted like an executive chair, getting in the way of O鈥橬eill, were 鈥渘onsense鈥�. BP said in statements to various publications that it stuck by a statement from Tuesday. 鈥淭he board has been surprised and disappointed to learn of governance oversight and conduct issues it deems unacceptable and has taken decisive action,鈥� said director Amanda Blanc on Tuesday.
