BP in 'Alan Sugar style' hunt for Russian head

BP and its Russian partners at the BP-TNK joint venture tonight launched a chief executive selection process straight out of Sir Alan Sugar's TV series The Apprentice.

As the once-feuding sides struggle to reach agreement over a permanent successor to Robert Dudley, ousted on the Russians' orders last year, a compromise has been agreed whereby two potential candidates have been given six months to prove themselves worthy.

BP has proposed former diplomat Pavel Skitovich while the Russian Alfa-Access-Renova consortium has selected US-educated Maxim Barsky.

Acting chairman Mikhail Fridman will serve as interim chief executive and chairman.