BP close to naming Murray Auchincloss as permanent CEO- Sky News

(Reuters) -BP is close to naming acting chief executive Murray Auchincloss as its permanent CEO succeeding Bernard Looney, Sky News reported on Tuesday.

The decision could be made public later on Tuesday or as early as Wednesday morning, the report added.

BP declined to comment on the Sky New report, when contacted by Reuters.

BP was thrown into turmoil after Looney resigned on Sept. 12 for failing to disclose relationships with employees and leaving no clear succession plan in place.

The company was looking at Auchincloss, Carol Howle, head of trading and shipping, and Emma Delaney, head of customers and products, as potential successors to Looney, Reuters reported last month.

Auchincloss, who became the company's CFO in July 2020, was key in formulating changes to the company's strategy, including slowing down BP's retreat from oil and gas and reducing spending on renewables in an effort to improve returns.

(Reporting by Kanjyik Ghosh and Jahnavi Nidumolu; Editing by Maju Samuel and Shailesh Kuber)