But the surprise departure of former leader Bernard Looney the previous day reflects poorly on the company’s board. Looney’s resignation, after failing to fully disclose details of past relationships with colleagues, appears to have caught BP by surprise. That’s embarrassing for the board, whose responsibilities include planning for succession in case something happens to the CEO. Auchincloss told staff in a brief town hall meeting on Sept. 13 that the company’s aims were unchanged. And our focus remains on performance – quarter by quarter,” Auchincloss, who was previously chief financial officer, told staff, according to a company spokesperson.

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Persons: Dado Ruvic, Murray Auchincloss, Helge Lund, Bernard Looney, Debra Crew, Ivan Menezes, Looney, John Browne’s, Browne, Tony Hayward, Hayward, Lund, Bernard Looney’s, Auchincloss, hasn’t, ” Auchincloss, Peter Thal Larsen, Oliver Taslic Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Interim, Diageo, BP, Irish, Thomson Locations: British