Former BP chief executive Bernard Looney has reportedly met with senior figures in the United Arab Emirates capital Abu Dhabi as part of a plan to return to the energy industry.
Mr Looney resigned from BP in September last year following a scandal involving “personal relationships” with colleagues.
Following an investigation, the oil giant later confirmed it had dismissed Mr Looney without notice, stripping him of around £32.4m in reimbursements.
However, rather than considering retirement, the 53-year-old Irishman is reportedly looking to make a comeback in Abu Dhabi.
The Financial Times reported Mr Looney recently held talks with Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber, the head of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and state-owned renewables firm Masdar, and Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayad al-Nayhan, a prominent member of the Abu Dhabi royal family and a national security advisor to the Emirati government.
© Photographer: Hollie Adams/BloomThe talks included discussions of a possible role for Mr Looney in making private equity-style investments on behalf of the UAE.
Mr Looney did not discuss a role within Adnoc itself, the FT said.
Mr Looney reportedly formed a close working relationship with Mr Jaber during his time at the helm of BP, with the Irishman gaining respect in the industry for his attempts to pivot towards cleaner energy.
After the UAE attracted criticism for appointing Mr Jaber to lead the COP 28 climate conference in Dubai, Mr Looney wrote an open letter in his defence.
Adnoc said in a statement to the Financial Times that the company had not held any talks with Mr Looney but did not address whether any private discussions between him and Mr Jaber had taken place. A representative for Mr Looney declined to comment. Sheikh Tahnoon could not be reached for comment.
Recommended for you
