Richard Harding

Richard Harding is BP's interim executive vice president, downstream, a position he assumed on July 1, 2026. He leads a global portfolio of brands and operations serving millions of customers worldwide, spanning fuels, retail, biofuels, aviation fuelling, lubricants and electric vehicle charging.

Richard joined BP in 1988 and has held a wide range of senior leadership roles across mobility & convenience and sales & marketing in North America, Europe and Southern Africa. He has also led the development of new marketing businesses, including BP's entry into Indonesia, India and Mexico, as well as advanced mobility and biofuels. Most recently, he served as an Independent Consultant and Advisor from January 2024 to April 2026, before being appointed as interim Head of Customers and Products Business effective April 13, 2026.

Career history

• Interim Executive Vice President, Downstream (July 2026 – present)
• Interim Head, Customers & Products Business (April 2026 – July 2026)
• Independent Consultant and Advisor (January 2024 – April 2026)
• VP Commercial Development, BP (March 2016 – December 2018)

What Richard Harding could bring to interim EVP of Downstream at BP: His three-decade tenure spanning mobility, convenience retail, marketing, and new market development positions him to drive operational integration across BP's diverse downstream portfolio. His track record developing new businesses across emerging markets and advanced sectors like biofuels and EV charging, combined with his recent oversight of portfolio strategy, equips him to manage the complex transition through BP's structural reorganization while maintaining execution across refining, terminals, aviation, and retail operations serving millions of global customers.