Albert Manifold was dismissed without warning of bullying claims.

The ousted chairman of BP has accused staff at the oil giant of “lies” and hiding behind “anonymity” after being dismissed without warning of bullying claims. In a 769-word statement, Albert Manifold said that during his 40-year career, he had “never once had accusations made against me such as those made in recent days.” The 63-year-old, who was previously the chief executive of the building materials company CRH, is said to have been left “shell-shocked” after being dismissed because of a “volcanic” temper, “bullying” and “verbal abuse” on Tuesday. Since joining BP in October, Mr Manifold said he had wanted to “set an example” at BP and detailed how he demonstrated this by making his own coffee, buying his own lunch and resisting the use of private jets. He said: “Where I saw unnecessary or excessive expenditure, I called it out. I had no interest in having a dedicated chauffeur-driven limousine at my beck and call on the occasions that I was in London. “I, like most people, walked, took taxis, trains, etc. I had no interest in taking private aviation nor in availing myself of corporate tickets for sports events. I made my own coffee and bought my lunch in the local café. I sat in a small office, eschewing the grand corner-office privilege of previous chairmen.” ‘Challenged people directly’ Mr Manifold suggested that he may have ruffled some feathers in his pursuit of renewal at the company, but rejected that this amounted to bullying. He added: “What I do not accept is that lies can be told about me, nor that anyone should be allowed to hide behind anonymity when commenting on my time at BP. “Is 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. But there is a considerable distance between driving an organisation with urgency and the characterisation of my conduct that is now being put about.” However, a BP spokesman said the company had a duty of care to employees affected by Mr Manifold’s behaviour. They 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.” BP’s share price has slumped 5.6pc since Mr Manifold’s departure was announced on Tuesday. The incident is a further embarrassment for BP, after the abrupt resignation of Bernard Looney, the previous chief executive, in September 2023, for failing to disclose a workplace affair. He eventually forfeited up to £32.4m in pay. Mr Manifold praised BP’s chief executive, chief financial officer and the wider executive team as being “among the finest people I have worked with”, saying they were “brimming with integrity”. But he pointedly stopped short of lavishing any accolades on the independent members of BP’s powerful board, which includes Dame Amanda Blanc, Aviva’s boss. BP’s board also includes Hina Nagarajan, the president of Diageo Africa, a division of one of the world’s largest drinks makers, and Satish Pai, the managing director of one of the world’s largest aluminium rolling and recycling companies, Hindalco Industries. Tackling ‘culture of entitlement’ Mr Manifold’s statement will raise questions about his relationship with the rest of the board, with the former construction executive saying he cracked down on “unnecessary or excessive expenditure” in his efforts to avoid a “culture of entitlement”. It comes as the oil behemoth has embarked on a cost-cutting drive, aiming to cut $5bn (£3.7bn) by the end of 2027. As a result, BP said it was laying off 6,200 workers last year, mainly among office-based staff who make up 40,000 of the company’s 100,000-person-strong workforce. Mr Manifold said such lay-offs had been at the heart of his motivation to set an example by buying his own lunch and foregoing private jets. He said: “In promoting a culture of cost consciousness and driving necessary cost reductions, whilst at the same time laying off thousands of people, setting the right example and leadership is required. “In business, small signals matter in driving change and contribute to ensuring no company has a culture of entitlement.” Mr Manifold is understood to be considering legal action against BP amid concerns the company may withhold severance payments.

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