BP Appoints Sam Skerry, Sonya Adams To Executive Leadership Roles

BP has appointed Sam Skerry as executive vice president (EVP) for Supply, Trading & Shipping and Sonya Adams as EVP for People & Culture, with both appointments taking effect on Aug. 1, the company said.

Skerry has nearly 30 years of experience at BP and has spent much of her career leading trading businesses across oil, natural gas and derivatives.

She most recently served as senior vice president for Mergers & Acquisitions and Business Development, where she helped simplify BP’s portfolio, strengthen the balance sheet, reduce costs and support profitable growth.

Adams has more than 25 years of experience at BP and has held senior leadership roles across Asia Pacific, Europe and the UK in customers and products, finance, transformation and, most recently, as chief of staff to Chief Executive Officer Meg O’Neill.

“Sam and Sonya bring significant leadership experience to these roles,” O’Neill said in a statement.

“Sam is widely respected for her commercial and strategic insight and for her ability to navigate complex, high-profile commercial situations. As chief of staff, Sonya developed a deep understanding of the company and the levers that drive performance.”

O’Neill said Adams was passionate about the role of culture, leadership and capability in enabling strategic change and helping BP improve performance.

The company also said Deputy Chief Executive Carol Howle would retire after 26 years with BP, while Kerry Dryburgh, EVP for People, Culture & Communications, had decided to leave the company after 16 years. Both executives will leave later in the third quarter.

O’Neill thanked Howle and Dryburgh for their contributions to the company.

“Carol led the company through a critical transitional phase as interim CEO and then deputy CEO,” O’Neill said.

“With her departure, I have chosen not to replace the deputy CEO role. We have significant actions underway to streamline the organisational model and we have a focused leadership team in place.”