By Adam Whittaker


BP has named Gordon Birrell as the head of its upstream division and Richard Harding as interim head of downstream as it pushes ahead with an organizational restructure intended to simplify how it operates and speed up decision-making.

The two-segment operating model will see the energy major divided up into a unit focused on fossil fuels, and the other on customers and markets.

The restructure is the latest signal management is accelerating its simplification efforts.

New Chief Executive Meg O'Neill has been brought in to oversee a shift back to its traditional fossil fuels business and help restore investor confidence that the company can invest wisely after a foray into renewable sources of energy failed to deliver. These efforts have been hampered by the recent departure of Chairman Albert Manifold, who was abruptly fired last month amid concerns about bullying behavior.

The upstream unit will cover fossil-fuel exploration and production, and will house BP's upstream joint ventures, as well as its renewable natural gas and carbon capture and storage business.

The downstream unit will house refining and terminals, as well as BP's mobility and convenience, and fuels businesses.

BP said a recruitment process is underway to appoint a permanent head of the downstream business.


Write to Adam Whittaker at adam.whittaker@wsj.com


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

06-09-26 0853ET