BP loses second senior executive as reign of new Irish CEO Bernard Looney begins

BP’s head of downstream — or oil refining and processing — operations Tufan Erginbilgic will step down next month after six years in the job, the company said, becoming the latest top executive to leave as Bernard Looney takes over as CEO.

Mr Erginbilgic, who joined BP in 1997, oversaw the expansion of the downstream business, which includes refining, retail and petrochemicals, into electric vehicle charging and added thousands of petrol stations in developing economies.

The announcement on his departure comes two days after Co Kerry-born Mr Looney took the helm from Bob Dudley.

It follows chief financial officer Brian Gilvary’s decision to leave the company in June.

Mr Looney’s successor as head of upstream, or exploration and drilling, has yet to be announced.

Downstream boosted BP’s profit after the 2014 oil price collapse, offsetting weaker revenue from the larger oil and gas production division.

The expansion in retail and petrochemicals are seen as key for BP as the world shifts away from fossil fuels.