Money | British Petroleum BP Confirms Hayward Exit $17B loss bared, Bob Dudley to take over By Rob Quinn Posted Jul 27, 2010 2:42 AM CDT Copied In a Thursday, June 17, 2010 photo, BP CEO Tony Hayward is sworn in on Capitol Hill in Washington, prior to testifying before the House Oversight and Investigations subcommittee. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) BP has confirmed that embattled chief executive Tony Hayward will be stepping down as of October. Hayward will be replaced by American Bob Dudley, whom BP's chairman describes as "a robust operator in the toughest circumstances." The announcement came as a statement accompanying BP's quarterly earnings update revelaed a record $17 billion loss because of Gulf cleanup costs, AP reports. "The Gulf of Mexico explosion was a terrible tragedy. As the man in charge of BP when it happened, I will always feel a deep responsibility, regardless of where blame is ultimately found to lie," Hayward said in a statement. BP said it plans to recommend Hayward for a non-executive board position at its Russian joint venture, which Dudley left after a battle with shareholders. Hayward's generous compensation package is proving controversial, click here for more on that story. Read These Next Trump reportedly wants a $230M payout from the DOJ. Online boo-bears go after the demo firm tearing White House apart. A well-known nutrition influencer died after a home birth. RFK Jr. offered his wife a fake separation. Report an error