The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday edition that British oil giant BP PLC said Tuesday it had removed its chair, Albert Manifold, saying the board had "serious concerns" about his leadership, less than a year after he was appointed. A New York Times dispatch to The Globe quotes Amanda Blanc, the senior independent director at BP, saying in a statement, "The board has been surprised and disappointed to learn of governance oversight and conduct issues it deems unacceptable and has taken decisive action." The company did not elaborate on the details of the ouster, but it said Ian Tyler, a board member since April, would serve as interim chair. Mr. Manifold's tenure at BP was brief: He joined the board in September and was appointed chair a month later. Before BP, he spent nearly 30 years at CRH PLC, a construction materials producer in Ireland, where he was chief executive officer for 10 years. BP's shares fell more than 5 per cent Tuesday in London. "Yet again we find ourselves opining on another unexpected change in senior personnel at BP," analysts at RBC Capital Markets wrote in a note. If the company continues to stumble, they added, "We expect BP shares would become more attractive for a potential acquirer."