John Buchanan

John Buchanan spent most of his executive career with BP in a broad range of positions.
He retired from the board of BP in 2002 after six years as Group Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director, a position he held during BP’s period of major transformation, including the merger with Amoco and acquisitions of Arco and Burham Castrol.

Prior to that he was the BP Group Treasurer and Chief Executive BP Finance,following a position as Chief Operating Officer of BP Chemicals.

After joining BP in London in 1970, Mr. Buchanan worked in operational, commercial and trading posts for the marketing and refining business, taking up management appointments in BP Switzerland and BP New Zealand, his home country, before becoming Manager responsible for group oil acquisition and trading and then General Manager, BP Group Corporate Planning.

He was seconded to the UK Cabinet Office to work for the Central Policy Review Staff (1976-77).

Board Mandates

Mr. Buchanan is Chairman of Smith & Nephew and Deputy Chairman of the Vodafone Group.

He is also Non-Executive Director of AstraZeneca and Senior Independent Director of BHP Billiton.

Mr. Buchanan is Chairman of the UK International Chamber of Commerce.

He has previously been a Non-Executive Director of Alliance Boots (Boots Group).

He was a member of the United Kingdom Accounting Standards Board from 1997 to 2001.