BP’s chair deserved a kick for his silly obstinacy over shareholder resolution

Albert Manifold and his board refused to put a request from investor group on annual meeting agenda – leading to an investor revolt

BP has fresh faces in the boardroom and a rigged strategy: it’s https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/feb/26/bp-oil-and-gas-spending-green-energy-scale-back">pivoting back to oil and gas and away from its low-carbon assets in an attempt to improve https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/feb/08/bp-faces-calls-for-new-strategy-to-end-period-of-turbulance-annual-results-investor-pressure-climate">a weak share price.

One can agree or disagree with the approach.

But it was a silly act of overreach for a newish chair to try to stifle debate on such matters.

That, in effect, was what https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jul/21/bp-appoints-new-chair-oversee-shift-to-fossil-fuels-">Albert Manifold did when he excluded a resolution for Thursday’s annual meeting from Follow This, a Dutch investor group.

The proposal itself cannot be described as explosive.

It was pitched in investor-friendly terms and would merely have obliged BP to describe how it would protect shareholder value if demand for oil and gas falls.

Nor is Follow This some two-bob outfit within the ranks of climate groups.

It was claiming support from investors with $1tn under management.