by Lenna Gonya

Created on: August 03, 2010   Last Updated: August 04, 2010

Unless you are involved in the world of business, few people know the names of the CEOs of major corporations and for the most part that’s probably the way they like it. In fact, we never actually hear much about them unless there’s a problem, as BP’s Tony Hayward recently learned.

Fifty-three year old Anthony Hayward is well-acquainted with the oil industry. Starting out as a rig geologist in 1982, he has worked for BP until recently, working his way up through the ranks. By 2007, he had worked his way up to CEO.

The oldest of seven children, he was often quoted as saying that he knew responsibility and hard work from childhood.

Hayward graduated from Aston University in Birmingham with honors in a degree in geology, and got his PhD from the University of Edinburgh. He soon went on to joining BP and working in various areas around the world, including China, France, London, Venezuela and Glasgow.

Of course, one of the “perks” of being a CEO is the possibility that when anything goes wrong with the company, you are to blame, and when a disaster such as the Gulf spill occurs the consequences are even more devastating.

In true CEO fashion, Hayward was immediately loyal to the company, denying involvement or blame in the beginning. Unfortunately for him and BP, no one was willing to accept that statement.

To further complicate his situation, he was brought before a board of review and Congress, where he either wouldn’t or couldn’t answer pertinent questions considering the Gulf oil spill and its causes. This may have been a matter of lack of knowledge about the specifics, since the cause is still not clear.

Hayward represented BP throughout this ordeal, and some of his actions and comments made him and BP less than popular with the victims. Indications that he was more concerned with what he was going through than what others were suffering, caused a response that carried back to the company headquarters.

On July 30, Hayward announced that he would be stepping down as CEO, stating the reason that he believed that it would be better for BP if he were no longer in the picture. He also stated that BP could return to popularity in America, only if he weren’t around.

To the end, Hayward firmly believes that he did the best he could with what he had to work with. He tried every method available to stop the leak, and according to Hayward, wanted to help those victims with compensation, even though he first declared the leak to be relatively “tiny” and insignificant. He believes that he was the scapegoat.

There is no word as to what he will be doing in the future, however, it is believed that his pension will be a sizeable one, so employment shouldn’t be a concern.

Hayward and his wife Maureen live near London. They have two grown children.

http://www.biography.com/articles/Tony-Hayward-58609 8

Learn more about this author, Lenna Gonya.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.