Bob Dudley of the British oil and gas group BP leaves the company. The outgouing chief was at the helm of the energy giant for nine years. He entered the midst of the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico.

Dudley leaves on February 4, 2020 after the presentation of the figures for the previous year. Subsequently, the 64-year-old American will retire on 31 March, after a forty-year career at BP. Dudley is succeeded by Bernard Looney, who is currently director of Upstream, the oil exploration and extraction division. Lamar McKay, who is currently deputy chief executive, will immediately be responsible for ensuring a smooth transfer of power.

The rumors that Dudley is leaving have already made the rounds. He would have talked to President Helge Lund about his plans to leave. Brian Gilvary, financial director, was also mentioned as a possible successor to Dudley.