Ex-BP staff accused of unauthorized downloads

BP plc is suing six former members of its energy team in Singapore claiming they misused confidential information to help rival Shenzhen Brightoil Group gain a “strategic advantage”. The six, including Quek Chin Thean, formerly global head of residues trading, and legal manager Simon Cheong, had “access to and possessed intricate knowledge” of BP’s business and commercial strategies and trade secrets, according to papers filed with the Singapore High Court. “Investigations are on-going,” said Lau Lu Ching, a Singapore-based spokeswoman at BP, declining to comment further. (July 22, 2010)