Oil giant recruits new head for UK business

BP has recruited the longserving chief executive of a global institute for energy sector professionals to be the new head of its UK business.

Louse Kingham will succeed Peter Mather as BP’S UK head of country and senior vice president for Europe.

BP said Ms Kingham would bring a wealth of knowledge and experience across a broad range of issues after leading the Energy Institute for more than 20 years. She will join the group in May.

Ms Kingham said she was excited to be joining BP at a pivotal time for the energy industry.

BP’S new chief executive Bernard Looney has set out to reinvent the company as a broad-based energy provider that can play a part in the effort to tackle climate change. This will involve BP increasing investment in renewables and oil and gas becoming a smaller part of the business.

“I’m excited to represent BP’S businesses, and work with partners across Europe and in the UK to help deliver innovative and decarbonised energy solutions at scale,” said Ms Kingham.

She will report to William Lin, executive vice president regions, cities and solutions at BP.

He said: “Louise’s experience in public policy, issues management and stakeholder engagement, not to mention her extraordinary network, position her ideally to help advance BP’S transformation agenda.’’

Mr Mather will leave BP at the end of 2021, after almost 40 years with the group. He has been BP’S UK country head and regional president for Europe since 2010.

Mr Mather’s Linkedin profile notes that his role involves overall responsibility for the governance, reputation, co-ordination and integration of all BP’S activities across Europe. Mr Lin said BP would miss Mr Mather’s counsel.