Tony Hayward, BP's incoming chief executive, has set out a vision for the UK company this year that includes intensifying safety efforts, improving performance and adhering "evermore strongly to BP values".

The vision statement, a copy of which was obtained by the Financial Times, was published on December 11th on BP's company intranet in what was seen as a pitch for the top job. On Friday it became clear the pitch had been successful; Lord Brown said he would resign at the end of July and Mr Hayward would succeed him.

Mr Hayward presented his vision after complaining that BP's current leadership style "is too directive and doesn't listen sufficiently well" and that BP has a management style that "made a virtue out of doing more for less".

He said the resulting problems can be corrected by "behavioural changes that will have to start at the top of the organisation".

Just how much work must be done will become clear tomorrow, when a panel led by James Baker, former US secretary of state, publishes the findings of its independent investigation into BP's corporate oversight, safety culture and safety management systems at BP's US refineries.

The panel, appointed by BP at the urging of US federal investigators after a refinery explosion in Texas in 2005, is expected to have "negative" findings, according to someone familiar with it. - ( Financial Times service )