Tony Hayward

British oil executive

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 19, 2026

Quick Summary

Tony Hayward was a British oil executive, best known for his tenure as chief executive officer of British Petroleum (BP) from 2007 to 2010. He joined BP in 1977 and held various leadership roles before becoming CEO. During his time at BP, the company was involved in significant global operations, including exploration, production, and refining of oil and natural gas.

Hayward's leadership coincided with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, a major environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. This event led to his resignation from BP. Prior to this, BP had undergone significant mergers and expansions, notably with Amoco and Atlantic Richfield Company, under previous leadership.

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Deepwater Horizon oil spill
Aftermath and impact
…emergence of BP chief executive Tony Hayward as the public face of the oil giant further inflamed public sentiment against the embattled company. The Englishman—who at one point remarked, “I’d like my life back”—was derided for his alternately flippant and obfuscating responses in media interviews and while testifying before the…
Read More
…emergence of BP chief executive Tony Hayward as the public face of the oil giant further inflamed public sentiment against the embattled company. The Englishman—who at one point remarked, “I’d like my life back”—was derided for his alternately flippant and obfuscating responses in media interviews and while testifying before the…
Read More