Bob Dudley
Robert Dudley | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 14, 1955 Queens, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Business executive |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Known for | Former group chief executive of BP; CEO of TNK-BP; chairman of Oil and Gas Climate Initiative; board member at Rosneft |
| Notable work | Leadership during Deepwater Horizon oil spill response |
Robert Warren Dudley (born September 14, 1955) is an American executive known for his tenure as the group chief executive of BP. Prior to this, he was president and CEO of TNK-BP and was appointed in June 2010 to head BP's Gulf Coast Restoration Organization in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Dudley also served as chairman of the international, industry-driven Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI) and held a board position at Rosneft, the Russian state-owned energy corporation.
Early life
Born in Queens, New York, Dudley was raised in Hattiesburg, Mississippi and completed his high school education at Hinsdale Central High School near Chicago in 1973. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Illinois, where he was a member of the fraternity Phi Kappa Psi and acted as District 3 Archon. He further obtained a master’s degree in international management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management and earned an MBA from Southern Methodist University.
Career
Dudley launched his professional journey at Amoco in 1979, undertaking various responsibilities including deal negotiations in the South China Sea. Between 1994 and 1997, he was based in Moscow, later advancing to general manager for strategy at Amoco and subsequently at BP following its acquisition of Amoco.
From 2003 until 2008, Dudley was president and CEO of TNK-BP, a $6 billion joint venture between BP and Russian billionaires collectively known as AAR. During his leadership, oil production rose by approximately one-third to 1.6 million barrels daily. Nevertheless, conflicts with AAR intensified, resulting in BP’s technical personnel being denied access to Russia. In June 2008, Dudley departed Russia after his visa renewal was refused amid what he described as ongoing harassment. He attempted to oversee TNK-BP operations remotely before resigning in December 2008. According to Wikileaks disclosures, Dudley believed Igor Sechin played a role in orchestrating a boardroom takeover against him.
On April 6, 2009, Dudley joined BP as managing director with responsibility for the Americas and Asia regions.
In the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010, Dudley was appointed president and CEO of BP's Gulf Coast Restoration Organization. He directed cleanup operations, liaised with government agencies, handled public communications regarding BP’s response, and evaluated environmental damage across five impacted US states.
On July 27, 2010, BP declared that Dudley would replace Tony Hayward as group chief executive starting October 1 and would also become a board member.
In March 2013, Dudley accepted a position on the board of Rosneft, Russia’s state-controlled energy firm; he resigned in February 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
After a shareholder revolt in April 2017 where 59% opposed his $19.6 million remuneration for 2015, BP reduced Dudley’s pay by $8 million.
Dudley stepped down as BP CEO in early 2020, succeeded by Bernard Looney. Chairman Helge Lund described this transition as a “logical time for a change” during the company’s global “energy transition.”
In July 2021, Dudley became chairman of cyber risk management software company Axio Global and participated in its Series B financing round raising $23 million led by Temasek's ISTARI. In August 2022, he joined the board of directors at 8 Rivers Capital.
Personal life
Robert Dudley is married to Mary Dudley, and together they have two children. Additionally, he contributes financially to the Conservative Party.
External links
- An Introduction to BP's Robert Dudley, CNBC, July 25, 2011
- Andrew Clark, Bob Dudley, New BP Chief, Shows Genuine Concern for Gulf Coast, Guardian, July 27, 2010