SIR Peter Sutherland, the long-standing chairman of BP, addressed shareholders for the last time this week at the company's centenary annual general meeting.
The oil giant has had what Sutherland termed a "hiccup" in its attempt to find a replacement for the former European commissioner who has led the board for 12 years.
Sutherland is to stay on for another year after Paul Skinner, BP's favoured candidate to replace him, got caught up sorting out debt issues at Rio Tinto, where he is currently chairman.
On his departure, Sutherland showed a touch of the famous wit that has made him such a big hit among private investors, even those who have invariably found their comments judged overlong by the ex-attorney-general of Ireland.
"You will be able to decide next year whether the chairman has led the meeting with the same deft humour and perspicacity as the present one."
Bereft of beachwear or sporting a Borat
BUSINESS Diary is not a huge fan of the self-consciously wacky and invariably offensive comic world of Sacha Baron Cohen but when someone's work enters the corporate discourse you know they have profound cultural influence.
By way of pre-ambling explanation, the mankini is the all-in-one swimming costume donned by Cohen's notorious comic Kazakh character Borat, and in reference to which we note these comments from the publicity team plugging Dear Mr Buffett by Janet Tavakoli.
The tome is the latest to be written about billionaire investor Warren Buffett.
The team tell us: "Warren Buffett famously commented that when the tide goes out you see who has been swimming naked.
"Ratings agency Moodys apparently think he's almost down to his mankini if judged by their downgrade of Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway investment company by two notches from triple-A to AA2."
The publishers helpfully attached a tasteful drawing of the Sage of Omaha in a fetching green number.
Caravanning means times really are tough IS it a signal for the bottom of the economic cycle when the caravaning fraternity start getting appallingly bullish?
The Caravan Club is launching a Discover Touring marketing campaign today, highlighting the joys of their pursuit.
"The British public have emphatically decided that 2009 is the year of the domestic holiday," the club proclaims. "Explore the great outdoors, in the comfort of your own home".
Business Diary agrees. Avoid the traffic jams, the smelly toilets and the run-ins with fellow motorists and stay at home with a few wildlife videos.
Get your ticket to hear a think-tank
CHARLIE McCreevy, the European Commissioner whose regulations keep large swathes of the Scottish financial services sector occupied, is coming to the capital next month.
The commissioner for the inter-nal market is delivering think-tank Reform Scotland's spring lecture at Edinburgh University business school at 12.15pm on Wednesday, May 13, 2009, when he will set out his thoughts on the future of the regulatory regime required to guide the EU out of recession. Tickets from nefertali.deeb@reformscotland.com
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