Kenmare man takes BP helm
KENMARE native Bernard Looney has been appointed to one of the top executive positions at global fuel giant BP.
Mr Looney (45), a graduate of UCD from the Ashgrove area of Kenmare, was this week named as the new Chief Executive of BP’s Upstream division.
The Upstream division is responsible for all of BPs global activities in production, processing, oil and gas field development, storage and transportation.
Mr Looney has been chief operating officer of production in the BP Upstream division since 2013.
He has been responsible for BP’s operated production, including accountability for drilling, operations, engineering, procurement, supply chain management and health, safety and environment in the Upstream since he joined the executive team in 2010.
Mr Looney, a former student of Holy Corss College in Kenmare, joined BP in 1991 as a drilling engineer, holding roles in the North Sea, Vietnam and the Gulf of Mexico, before moving to executive roles in Alaska and then head office.
In 2009 Mr Looney took up leadership of BP’s UK and Norwegian North Sea business before moving to become Executive Vice President for Developments in late 2010.
Bernard Looney’s new role at BP could potentially pave the way for the Kerryman to advance to the very highest levels of the BP which is now the world’s sixth largest oil and gas companies.
Several previous heads of the BP upstream division have advanced to lead he multinational.