A London court heard not-guilty pleas from Alex Beard and Andrew Gibson in a Serious Fraud Office bribery case.
Why it matters: The case keeps legal and reputational pressure on Glencore, one of the world's biggest commodity traders. It also shows UK prosecutors are still pressing foreign-bribery allegations tied to oil trading in Africa.
- Alex Beard pleaded not guilty on Sept. 10, 2026 at Southwark Crown Court in London.
- Beard faces two counts of conspiracy to make corrupt payments tied to Nigeria and Cameroon.
- Andrew Gibson also pleaded not guilty and faces four counts of conspiracy to make corrupt payments plus one count of conspiracy to falsify accounting documents.
- The UK Serious Fraud Office says six former Glencore employees are charged, with trial set for Oct. 4, 2027.
Alex Beard, Glencore's former head of oil trading, denied two counts of conspiracy to make corrupt payments at Southwark Crown Court in London on Sept. 10, 2026. The allegations center on payments linked to government or state-owned oil company officials in Nigeria and Cameroon, according to court reporting and the Serious Fraud Office's public case page.
Andrew Gibson, Beard's former deputy and Glencore's former head of oil operations, also pleaded not guilty. The Guardian reported that Gibson denied four counts of conspiracy to make corrupt payments in Nigeria, Cameroon and Côte d'Ivoire, plus one count of conspiracy to falsify accounting documents.
The SFO says six former Glencore employees are charged in the case and that trial is listed for Oct. 4, 2027. Its case page says the charges relate to oil-contract awarding across Cameroon, Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire from 2007 to 2014. The agency also lists the broader Glencore case on its public case list.
Glencore's UK subsidiary previously pleaded guilty in the wider corruption matter and was sentenced in the UK, with SFO material tying that resolution to bribes for preferential access to oil. An SFO spokesperson said: "We continue to progress our bribery case against six former Glencore employees ahead of trial on 4 October 2027."
By the numbers
- 6 - Former Glencore employees charged by the UK Serious Fraud Office
- Oct. 4, 2027 - Trial date listed by the SFO
- 2007-2014 - Period covered by the SFO's charges
Yes, but: The not-guilty pleas are not the end of the case; they are an early step before the listed 2027 trial.
What's next: The next known milestone is the Oct. 4, 2027 trial date. The SFO says it is continuing to progress the case against six former Glencore employees.