TNK-BP director resigns from post

Tony Considine is leaving to "pursue other opportunities"

A director of TNK-BP, BP's Russian joint venture, has resigned.

TNK-BP said Tony Considine, executive vice-president for downstream, would leave on 15 September to "pursue other opportunities".

The announcement comes a month after the chief executive of TNK-BP, Robert Dudley, left Russia in the face of what he said was "sustained harassment".

UK oil giant BP is in dispute with the four Russian billionaires that own the other half of TNK-BP.

'Transformation'

Mr Dudley is continuing to run TNK-BP from the UK, but has since been banned by a Moscow court from working in Russia for two years.

TNK-BP is Russia's third-largest oil producer.

Mr Considine's job put him in charge of TNK-BP's refining, trading and marketing operations. He had been in the position for five years.

"Tony has led the transformation of our refining and marketing business, including value chain optimisation, which has translated directly into consistently excellent financial results," said TNK-BP chief operating officer Tim Summers.