BP ousted chair Manifold denies conduct allegations as boardroom turmoil deepens

BP's ousted chairman Albert Manifold has disputed allegations about his conduct, claiming reports surrounding his behaviour are "lies" after the company's board removed him with immediate effect on Tuesday.

Manifold, who served as chairman for less than a year, issued a lengthy statement in response to media coverage of his tenure. He said: "At no point in my tenure as chairman of BP has anyone raised with me any issue about my conduct or my relationship with my colleagues."

He also rejected characterizations that he sought to exert control over the FTSE 100 energy company as an executive chair, describing such reports as "nonsense". Manifold noted he had "many other commitments" and said he had spent only 13 days in BP's London office so far this year.

In his statement, Manifold called for accountability in reporting, saying no one should be "allowed to hide behind anonymity" when commenting on his time at BP.

BP's board cited concerns including "bullying" and "overbearing" behaviour as reasons for Manifold's removal, according to the BBC's understanding. The company declined to provide further detail on whether bullying behaviour specifically formed part of the decision.

In response to Manifold's statement, a BP spokesperson said: "We note the comments of our former chair. We stand by the statement we have made. We have a duty of care to all our employees, particularly those impacted by his behaviour."