BP’s Bust-Up Lifts the Lid on British Boardrooms: Chris Hughes

It’s not too soon to start learning lessons from the dramatic removal of BP Plc chair Albert Manifold and his vigorous reaction to his ousting. The situation already highlights the central challenges of having a non-executive chair sit at the heart of UK corporate governance.

That role works best when the occupant is willing to operate right on the border between non-executive and executive power. But the desirability of a strong chair also makes it paramount that they can be held accountable.

To recap, BP’s board unanimously removed Manifold as chair on Tuesday, citing alleged unacceptable conduct but without giving details. The implication ...