BP Chief Resigns
BP chief Lord Browne has resigned from his post, to be replaced immediately by Dr. Tony Hayward, amidst accusations that he used company money to support (and woo) his partner of four years, Jeff Chevalier. The allegations against Browne include:
• BP resources were diverted for Mr. Chevalier's use, and he was given computers and technical support staff while a company was set up for him involving BP personnel (Lord Browne is said to have helped set up a company for him to trade in mobile phone ring-tones, with Lord Browne and another executive from BP as directors.)• A senior member of BP staff was tasked with running personal errands for Lord Browne, including delivering cash to his former lover.
• The BP chief paid for Mr. Chevalier's studies, as well as a large sum over their four years together.
• Browne discussed EU policy and Chinese textile quotas with Peter Mandelson, the EU commissioner, and Mandelson's Brazilian boyfriend Reinaldo.
• A flat in Venice bought by Lord Browne underwent repairs for which the building company presented two bills, one with VAT and one without. Mr. Chevalier claimed Lord Browne paid cash to "dodge" his tax bill.
The couple split in 2006 and as went Browne so (purportedly) went Chevalier’s new lifestyle, which would explain how this story got into all of London’s major newspapers (and now: Dealbreaker.com). Browne commented that “In my 41 years with BP I have kept my private life separate from my business life. I have always regarded my sexuality as a personal matter, to be kept private. It is a matter of deep disappointment that a newspaper group has now decided that allegations about my personal life should be made public.”
Some thoughts:
- It’s difficult to actually keep one’s private life separate from one’s business life when one’s business life is paying for one’s private life (say that five times fast).
- This may actually just be a case of the age-old American mix-up: Gay or Brit? And Chevalier is just a (well-compensated) business associate.
- Todd Thomson can’t win at anything.
- If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times: if you pay for it yourself, you’re in the clear! (Source: Everyday Business, with Wayne Pace).
BP chief lied over affair with gay lover [This Is London]
BP's CEO to Step Down Immediately Amid Revelations of Private Life [WSJ]
Comments
Ok Bess........I am not hip to all things but, What is the reason for the Todd Thomson mention in article and the Maria Bartiromo and the bottom......what have they got to do with this?????
Posted by: alan | May 1, 2007 12:55 PM
Ok Bess........I am not hip to all things but, What is the reason for the Todd Thomson mention in article and the Maria Bartiromo at the bottom......what have they got to do with this?????
Posted by: alan | May 1, 2007 12:55 PM
c'mon alan...make the hamster turn that wheel...
Posted by: Anonymous | May 1, 2007 12:57 PM
Ok...Anonymous.....what do you really KNOW about the afore mentioned. Not speculation or innuendo......what do you KNOW?
Posted by: alan | May 1, 2007 01:06 PM
Is alan "bob"?
Posted by: Anonymous | May 1, 2007 01:09 PM
"BP Chief Resigns" .. alternatively.. "Gay Lord Ousted".
You seem to be missing some easy ones on this topic.
Posted by: Marcus | May 1, 2007 01:58 PM
if she were looking for cheap, unfunny jokes, yes.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 1, 2007 02:00 PM
Cheap jokes, on this site, ..no.
Posted by: Marcus | May 1, 2007 02:07 PM
Cheap jokes, ...there will be none of that here. ;)
Posted by: Marcus | May 1, 2007 02:08 PM
I guess the BP chief got it in the end (so to speak).
Posted by: T. Howell | May 1, 2007 02:18 PM
No fotos of Jeff? We need to know what/who led the gay Lord to his doom.
Posted by: Hal | May 1, 2007 03:07 PM
"Paid for his educational expenses?" The lord is in his 60's. Sounds like gay cradle robbing to me. Get to the bottom of this ya'll.
Posted by: MSM Hack | May 1, 2007 04:03 PM
Somebody explain that Todd Thomson comment.
Posted by: joe blow | May 1, 2007 05:03 PM
I second Joe Blow's comment
Posted by: John Q. Public | May 1, 2007 05:07 PM
you idiots: the Todd Thomson thing is about how not only is he a failure at marriage, work, he also can't even hold the position for hottest sex scandal (or for sugar daddy of the moment).
Posted by: duh | May 1, 2007 05:29 PM
duh, no doubt. The TT/$H thing gets my vote as the 2nd biggest non-event of 2007 behind PS3.*
*that was a shameless attempt to curry favor with Mr Hahn, I admit.
Posted by: Zbignew | May 1, 2007 06:41 PM
Yeah well, we're all taking it in the trunk. This guy was getting million dollar bonuses at our (gas tank) expense.
It's stupied that he has to quit as a result of his industry's political anti-gay stance, but he made his bed... or well, probably that was Reinaldo's job.
Posted by: Poor Law Student | May 1, 2007 09:19 PM
This Dude, Mr. Browne, has to be bisexual. He fucked male and female by goughing everyone equally at the gas pumps. Tough shit friend, you got yours in the end. Now you're the fuckee.
Posted by: night owl | May 2, 2007 01:31 AM
I am just pissed they only care he is gay!!!!! What is up with the record profits on gas for christ sakes! That is what's got my goat. I don't give a rat's ass who he fucks! I want my money back for all his vacations with whom ever & when ever! I can't go on vacation if I want to pay my fucking mortgage!He should be strung up for making too much money with Bush's back up plan! LOL
Posted by: RM | May 2, 2007 01:50 AM
Oh yeah, let me cry for this jerk-off. I'm sure his pension will help keep him warm during this terrible time. He can kiss my ass...well, maybe not.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 2, 2007 02:09 AM
From a political website, check out the internet archive's copies of suitedandbooted.com at home. REALLY, REALLY NOT WORK SAFE. Gay escort site.
But that's why Lord Browne perjured himself, as he didn't want to admit that he had a 4 year affair with a rent boy. Bringing a hooker to a company event is frowned upon, no matter what kind of hooker, especially if you didn't bring one for everybody. You may get away with it at a smaller finance firm, but as the Pepsi guy found out, even straight hookers can screw up your career.
That he brought his rent boy to company events and dinners with senior politicians is also not going over well. Though apparently they got along well with Sir Elton and his wife David.
Posted by: Bulging Bracket | May 2, 2007 10:32 AM
The fact that Chevalier used a BP laptop and the services of BP employees is sketchy, but he wouldn't necessarily have had to resign if he hadn't perjured himself.
Nobody cares that he is gay now, but 41 years ago, when he joined BP, they sure as hell did. He would never have risen as far as he did if he hadn't been closeted.
Posted by: Actually | May 2, 2007 12:54 PM