Tony Hayward's 'embarrassing' day off
BP's CEO took a day off to watch a yacht race sponsored by a Wall Street bank. Did he mess up again?
For a day, at least, BP chief executive Tony Hayward got his life back. Hayward, whom BP recently relieved of his oil spill management duties, spent Saturday in the United Kingdom, watching his 52-foot sailing yacht "Bob" compete in a JPMorganChase-sponsered event off England's southern coast. While the outing drew condemnation from both the White House and members of Congress, a BP spokesperson defended Hayward's attendance, noting it was his first day off in two months. Did Hayward step in it again? This must be "the world's dumbest CEO," says Kelly McParland in the National Post. "If there is a case study in how not to act in a crisis, this guy is it." Hayward isn't entirely to blame, says Jonathan Fenby in the Guardian. For the sake of appearances alone, his employer ought to have made certain that its "Chief Embarrasment Officer" spent "a dutiful weekend at his desk" — even if he closed the office door and watched World Cup games. Watch video of Hayward aboard "Bob" below:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Cicada-geddon: the fungus that controls insects like 'zombies'
Under The Radar Expert says bugs will develop 'hypersexualisation' despite their genitals falling off
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
'Voters know Biden and Trump all too well'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Is the Gaza war tearing US university campuses apart?
Today's Big Question Protests at Columbia University, other institutions, pit free speech against student safety
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published