BP chief Bernard Looney resigns over past relationships with colleagues
- The chief executive is leaving after less than four years at the helm, admitting he had not been ‘fully transparent’ amid allegations about his conduct
- Finance chief Murray Auchincloss will act as the energy firm’s interim CEO
British energy giant BP said on Tuesday that its chief executive Bernard Looney has resigned “with immediate effect”, after admitting that he had not been “fully transparent” about historical relationships with colleagues.
“Bernard Looney has notified the company that he has resigned as chief executive officer with immediate effect,” the company said in a statement, adding that finance chief Murray Auchincloss would act as interim CEO.
Looney, 53, is leaving the energy firm after less than four years in the role.
BP said that in May last year its board received and reviewed allegations from an anonymous source relating to Looney’s conduct “in respect of personal relationships with company colleagues”.
Looney disclosed “a small number of historical relationships with colleagues prior to becoming CEO” during the review, it added, while noting that no breach of the company’s code of conduct was found.