PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Diversified miner BHP has announced a number of management changes, reflecting its simplified portfolio.
Geraldine Slattery will replace Steve Pastor as president of the petroleum operations, while Vandita Pant will take over from Arnoud Balhuizen as chief commercial officer.
Following the completion of BHP’s sale of its US onshore assets, Pastor will leave the company.
Slattery will now lead the petroleum business, which includes oil and gas interests and development and exploration programmes in the US, Australia, Mexico and Canada, starting on March 18.
She has been with BHP for 25 years and has led a number of teams across the petroleum business.
Pant for her part, will assume the role as chief commercial officer from July 1, with Balhuizen expected to return to the Netherlands.
Pant was previously employed as group treasurer for BHP and head of Europe, and played a critical role in executing the company’s capital allocation framework, strengthening the company’s balance sheet and leading to the $10.4-billion return to shareholders from the sale of the US onshore assets.
Meanwhile, Jonathan Price, currently transformation director, will assume the role of chief transformation officer effective March 1, and join the executive leadership team.
Price has held senior roles within BHP in nickel, marketing, iron-ore and finance where he has worked with governments, joint venture partners, customers, industry peers, investors and advisers.
Laura Tyler will continue in her current role as asset president at Olympic Dam based in Adelaide and reporting to Mike Henry. In addition to her direct responsibility for Olympic Dam, she will re-join the executive leadership team from March 1, as chief geoscientist and bring a focus on geoscience and resource engineering risk management.
She will lead technical experts to meet current and future requirements, given the importance of exploration and strategic resource management to BHP’s transformation agenda.
“These management changes are an important step as we plan for the future of BHP. The elevation of geoscience and transformation to the executive leadership team demonstrates the determination we have to advance the best science, technology and people to make our operations safer and more productive,” said CEO Andrew Mackenzie on Thursday.