BP appoints new upstream leader
23 Nov 2012
London – BP has appointed Lamar McKay, currently chairman and president of BP America, as chief executive, upstream, with effect from 1 Jan, 2013.
In his new role, McKay will lead BP’s combined Upstream business, comprising the exploration, developments and production divisions together with the Upstream strategy and integration team.
The upstream functional divisions were formed in late 2010 in a major re-organisation of BP’s upstream segment designed to improve risk management and implementation of global standards.
McKay, who will be based in London, will report to Bob Dudley and is already a member of BP’s executive management team.
He is currently chairman and president of BP America — a role he has held since early 2009 — serving as BP’s chief representative in the US and also overseeing BP’s Gulf Coast restoration work following the Deepwater Horizon disaster.
McKay has a petroleum engineering background and has served in a variety of operational and commercial roles globally, during his 32 years with the company. His successor as head of BP America will be announced at a later date, said BP.
“During the past two years, we have successfully introduced a more centralised organisation to our Upstream; BP’s largest organisational change for two decades. I believe it is now timely and appropriate to appoint a fully dedicated chief executive to this, our largest business,” said BP chief executive Bob Dudley.
“With a pr oven record of strong operational effectiveness and strategic success, McKay’s leadership of BP America over the past three years has been exemplary, during a most difficult period for our company,” added Dudley.
“His long and deep experience in the upstream, and of the US and Russia, will be invaluable as we deliver our Upstream strategy worldwide.”
Career profile: Lamar McKay
Current role:
Lamar McKay, 53, is BP’s chief representative in the United States. He is based in Houston, Texas where BP business units are involved in oil and natural gas exploration and production, refining, chemicals, supply and trading, pipeline operations, shipping and alternative energy. He is also a member of the BP executive management team.
Education:
Degree in petroleum engineering from Mississippi State University and an executive MBA from Indiana University.
Career:
McKay started his career in 1980 at Amoco Production Co. and worked broadly across the upstream businesses. In 1993, he became general manager of the Arkoma Basin, and in 1997 moved into the role of Business Unit Leader of the Gulf of Mexico Shelf.
During 1998-2000, he worked on the BP-Amoco merger and served as head of strategy and planning - worldwide exploration and production for BP plc. in London.
In 2000, he became business unit leader for the central North Sea in Aberdeen, Scotland, and subsequently as chief of staff for worldwide exploration and production. In 2002, McKay moved to become Chief of Staff for the BP deputy group chief executive.
McKay became group vice president, BP plc. for Russia & Kazakhstan in London in 2003, where he was responsible for BP’s upstream and downstream businesses in Russia and Kazakhstan including the formation and ongoing responsibility for the TNK-BP JV in 2003.
He served as a member of the board of TNK-BP Ltd from February 2004 to May 2007, and served as vice-chairman of the TNK-BP remuneration and compensation committee.
In May 2007, McKay moved to Houston and assumed the role of senior group vice president BP plc. and EVP, BP America. In this role, Lamar led BP’s negotiations on the Texas City Refinery, Prudhoe Bay Field in Alaska and US trading business settlements.
In June 2008, McKay became executive vice president, BP plc Special Projects focusing on Russia, where he most recently led negotiations on behalf of BP involving the partners in the integrated Russian JV oil company TNK-BP.
In January 2009 McKay was appointed chairman and president of BP America, Inc. and is BP’s chief representative in the US. He is also executive vice president of BP plc and a member of the group chief executive’s committee.
