BP chairman’s last challenge
By Emiko Terazono
Published: June 13 2008 03:00 | Last updated: June 13 2008 03:00
Having managed the succession of Tony Hayward, the battle for TNK-BP looks like being Peter Sutherland’s last great challenge after 11 years as BP’s chairman.
He is into his last 12 months at the oil group, having said he will step down at next year’s annual meeting. The outcome of the dispute over TNK-BP will determine whether that final year is judged a success or a failure.
His plain speaking on BP’s Russian problems in Stockholm yesterday was entirely in character for the bullish former rugby player. He does not shrink from confrontation, most recently in the argument with Lord Browne , BP’s previous chief executive, about when he should step down.
BP aims to have a successor appointed by the end of the year, but it seems to be struggling to find someone of a suitable calibre.
The new chairman is more likely to be someone with an oil industry background. One highly eligible candidate would be Paul Skinner , chairman of Rio Tinto. He knows the oil business inside out, having had a 40-year career at Shell, and is widely admired for his record at Rio.
There is one slight problem. Mr Skinner already has a job, and is hardly in a position to run out on Rio when it is being pursued by BHP Billiton.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2008
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Royal Dutch Shell conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
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