Rio appoints new iron-ore and copper chiefs

PERTH (miningweekly.com) - The world’s second-largest diversified miner Rio Tinto has appointed its copper chief Andrew Harding as the new CEO of its iron-ore division, to replace Sam Walsh.

Walsh was appointed CEO of the company in January this year, after Tom Albanesestepped down.

The company’s copper division would now be headed by Jean-Sebastien Jacques, who was formerly the division’s president for international operations. He will join the executive committee.

Both appointments became effective on Thursday.

“These two appointments strengthen our senior management team and are in line with our strategy of developing the next generation of talented Rio Tinto leaders,” Walsh said on Thursday.

“Harding’s experience across a range of Rio businesses and countries and his three years on the executive committee mean he is ideally placed to run the highest-earning business in the group. He has done an excellent job leading the copper product group, including taking Oyu Tolgoi from the drawing board to an operational mine on the verge of commercial production.”

Harding was appointed CE of Rio’s copper division in November 2009. He joined the company in 1992 and spent seven years in the iron-ore business.

Meanwhile, Walsh noted that Jacques, who had been with Rio for just over a year, had extensive experience in the steel and aluminium industries and had recently been leading work in Mongolia, as well as being responsible for mines and projects from Australia to South Africa.

Jacques joined Rio in October 2011 from Tata Steel Group, where he was group director for strategy. Prior to that he spent four years as corporate development and strategy director at steelmaker Corus, and had worked for aluminium company Pechiney.

Edited by: Creamer Media Reporter