BP announced today that it has appointed Helge Lund to succeed Carl-Henric Svanberg as chairman of BP.

Mr Lund will join the BP Board as chairman designate and a non-executive director on 1 September 2018. He will be appointed chairman on 1 January 2019. Mr Lund will have a base in London.

Mr Lund, who is also chairman of Novo Nordisk AS in Denmark, will stand down with immediate effect from his directorship at Schlumberger, the global oil service group.  

The search for the new chairman was conducted by the full BP Board led by Ian Davis, the senior independent director. Mr Davis said that the search process had been worldwide and rigorous. This produced an impressive list of diverse candidates from the UK, continental Europe and the US.

Mr Lund, 55, said: 
“BP is a great company. Now as a non-executive, it is a huge privilege for me to be asked to lead an experienced and diverse board. BP has come successfully through a challenging period under the strong and committed leadership of Carl-Henric and Bob. I am looking forward to working with Bob and his team as they address the changing energy landscape.”

BP chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg said: 
“I am delighted that Helge Lund is to be BP’s next chairman. Our industry is changing faster than ever as the world focuses on meeting the dual challenge of more energy with fewer emissions.

“Helge has a track record of leadership in addressing these issues, characterised by his open-minded and forward-looking approach. Together with his deep industry knowledge and global business experience, he has all the skills necessary to lead the board today and into the future."