--- title: My Elevator Ride with Bob Dudley, BP CEO description: My Elevator Ride with Bob Dudley, BP CEO image: https://www.allyenergy.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Elevator-p2sd2ge304sbtd546e5pv7wu2o4mu5cv0mw8bk9si0.jpeg --- - [BUILD WITH US](https://www.allyenergy.com/work-with-us) - [GALLERY](http://ally.photos) [![Company logo](https://www.allyenergy.com/hubfs/MJTW%20Assets/logos/ally-energy-logo-2.svg)](https://www.allyenergy.com/) - [ABOUT](https://www.allyenergy.com/about) - [INSIGHTS](https://www.allyenergy.com/resources) - OUR BUILDS - [Houston Energy & Climate Week](http://www.climateweekhouston.com) - [Energy Workforce of the Future](https://www.energyworkforceofthefuture.com/) - [The GRIT Awards & Best Energy Workplaces](https://www.allyenergy.com/2025-grit-awards-best-energy-workplaces-finalists) - [Energy Capital Markets Day on Wall Street](https://www.allyenergy.com/ally-tcs-worley-new-york-marathon-team) - [THE BEE SUITE™](http://www.thebeesuite.com) - [THE ASK](https://www.allyenergy.com/the-ask) - 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[Share](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.allyenergy.com%2Fblog%2Fmy-elevator-ride-with-bob-dudley-bp-ceo) - [Share](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.allyenergy.com%2Fblog%2Fmy-elevator-ride-with-bob-dudley-bp-ceo&title=My%20Elevator%20Ride%20with%20Bob%20Dudley%2C%20BP%20CEO&summary=My+Elevator+Ride+with+Bob+Dudley%2C+BP+CEO&source=) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/home?status=My+Elevator+Ride+with+Bob+Dudley%2C+BP+CEO%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.allyenergy.com%2Fblog%2Fmy-elevator-ride-with-bob-dudley-bp-ceo) - [Watch](https://vimeo.com/allyenergy) ![](https://www.allyenergy.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Elevator-p2sd2ge304sbtd546e5pv7wu2o4mu5cv0mw8bk9si0.jpeg) Bob Dudley is Chief Executive Officer of BP and took over before I got there in 2012. I had the chance to work with Bob's leadership team on safety culture and competency efforts after Deepwater Horizon. It was some of the most meaningful work I did before leaving BP [to start Pink Petro](https://allyenergy.com/the-birth-of-pink-petro/). I often used Saturdays to run up to the office to get work done. The BP Westlake campus in Houston is about 3 miles from my home and a short run on the Terry Hershey Trail. That morning I took a chance, like I always had, that I wouldn't run into anyone so I laced up my sneakers for a humid jog. ### And that was the morning I ran into Bob on the elevator. I really could have died in that moment wondering if I was smelling up the elevator bay. Did Bob think I was less than because I was up at the office in my gym shorts? Or maybe Bob was wishing he was in gym shorts and not at the office? But I didn't sweat the conversation too much, perhaps because this was an all-too-familiar scene for me, and really I had sweat enough that morning! It was insanely hot in Houston. ### There is something about me and meeting people at the most opportune time. I once met [Jeroen van der Veer, the former CEO of Shell](https://allyenergy.com/why-i-gave-my-kids-fidget-spinner-to-sheryl-sandberg/) in a London elevator and even had the courage to intervene on him with what could have been an unsafe situation. I didn't know he was our CEO and my colleagues gave me a real tough time for that. ### Nevertheless I've never had a problem connecting with people on common topics and values. So there I was in the elevator speaking with Bob. He asked about my running. I told him it seemed I was always training for something. But that with age, it gets harder to run as fast so I go for longer distances. Our conversation shifted a moment to chat about the energy transition, safety and environment. We agreed that these things are very much like the marathon. They take time. This week I had a rare moment and had the chance to catch up on some reading and came along a great piece by Bob. A lot of what he says in this piece are things he and I spoke about briefly 5-6 years ago in that elevator. We've known a while that there's a dual race on: to develop cleaner burning fuels and to bring on renewable sources. ### But Bob's right. It's going to take time. And many energy companies [are investing in the path forward](https://allyenergy.com/exxon-chevron-and-oxy-join-the-ogci/), and have been. Industry's most recent move is putting carbon reduction targets into their scorecards and compensation. This is a huge move. [Consumers, though, need to understand the complexity of the energy value chain,](https://allyenergy.com/exxon-speaks/) as Bob's peer, Darren Woods, CEO of ExxonMobil said just a week ago in his CNBC interview with Squawk Box just after Q4 results were released. Here is Bob's recent note and[thoughts ](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/challenge-we-face-more-energy-fewer-emissions-bob-dudley-1f/)on LinkedIn. Have a read. And never forget the value of being yourself in gym shorts and sneakers! ### Catch BP's 2019 Energy Outlook Join [Bob and his leadership on Thursday February 14](http://webcast.bp.com/economics/energyoutlook/08/registration/?utm_source=WebGlobalEEwebcast)to hear more about the Energy Outlook he sees for 2040. We'll also talk about the [energy transition at HERWorld19](http://www.herworldenergyforum.com/) including Pam Darwin, Vice President, Africa with ExxonMobil, Melody Meyer, Board Director, BP plc, Julie Muns Simms, Principal with KPMG and Ernie Scheyder of Reuters. Photo source: BP.com website ## Related Posts [![Energy executive and marathoner Leigh-Ann Russell on why she is taking the road to net zero](https://www.allyenergy.com/hubfs/lar-nyc-831x640.jpg) Leadership, Climate & Sustainability, Marathon, Running Energy executive and marathoner Leigh-Ann Russell on why she is taking the road to net zero ALLY Energy](https://www.allyenergy.com/blog/energy-executive-and-marathoner-leigh-ann-russell-on-why-she-is-taking-the-road-to-net-zero) [![A Tipping Point: What Does Climate Action Look Like?](https://www.allyenergy.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Tipping-Point-p2sab2wcgor0dhhmgfrn9aoh65xn24ugory7sfm6bs.jpeg) Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Climate & Sustainability A Tipping Point: What Does Climate Action Look Like? 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