Current position

Antony Burgmans was appointed a non-executive director of BP on 5 February 2004.

Board and committee activities

He is chairman of the remuneration committee and is a member of the SEEAC and the chairman’s and the nomination committees.

Outside interests

Antony Burgmans is a member of the supervisory boards of Akzo Nobel N.V., AEGON N.V. and SHV Holdings N.V., and chairman of the supervisory board of TNT Express.

Career

He joined Unilever in 1972, holding a succession of marketing and sales posts, including, from 1988 until 1991, the chairmanship of PT Unilever Indonesia.

In 1991, he was appointed to the board of Unilever, becoming business group president, ice cream and frozen foods, Europe in 1994, and chairman of Unilever’s Europe committee, co-ordinating its European activities. In 1998, he became vice chairman of Unilever NV and in 1999, chairman of Unilever NV and vice chairman of Unilever PLC. In 2005, he became non-executive chairman of Unilever NV and Unilever PLC until his retirement in 2007.

Relevant experience and skills

Antony Burgmans' executive career was in international production, distribution and marketing. Over the years he has made a significant contribution to the work of the board, adding insight to the areas of reputation, brand and culture. His global perspective has particular value as chairman of the remuneration committee and also contributes to his work on the SEEAC. During the year he has led on internal board matters in support of the senior independent director. His tenure and independent approach, demonstrated over many years in his work on SEEAC and the nomination and remuneration committees, led the board to ask him to chair the ad-hoc committee of the board dealing with issues relating to the sale of BP’s share in TNK-BP. His clarity of thought and his approach in evaluating the events of the last few years has led the board to conclude that he is still independent even though he has now served just over nine years as a director. His continued independence, together with his experience of the BP board and the need for an orderly board succession, means that the board has asked him to remain as a member of the BP board for a further period of three years.