Melbourne, Australia - February 20, 2013, Melbourne, Australia - BHP Billiton, a mining company, announced that Marius Kloppers will retire as chief executive officer and a director on May 10, 2013 and that Andrew Mackenzie will succeed him and join the board on that date.
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Mr. Kloppers has been a Director of BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc since January 2006. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer on 1 October 2007.
Mr. Kloppers has extensive knowledge of the mining industry and of BHP Billiton’s operations. Active in the mining and resources industry since 1993, he was appointed Chief Commercial Officer in December 2003 and Group President Non-Ferrous Materials and Executive Director in January 2006.
He was previously Chief Marketing Officer, Group Executive of Billiton Plc, Chief Executive of Samancor Manganese and held various positions at Billiton Aluminium, including Chief Operating Officer and General Manager of Hillside Aluminium. He is Chairman of the International Council on Mining and Metals (since October 2011) and former Deputy Chairman (from October 2008 to October 2011). Mr. Kloppers will retire from the Group on 1 October 2013.
Mr. Mackenzie has been Chief Executive of Non-Ferrous and Group Executive Officer for BHP Billiton Group, BHP Billiton plc and BHP Billiton Ltd. since November 2008. Mr. Mackenzie joined BHP Billiton Group in November 2008.
He served as the Chief Executive Officer, Diamonds & Minerals of Rio Tinto plc until November 2007 and also served as its Chief Executive of Industrial Minerals Division since 2004.
He served as the Head of Non-ferrous Metals of BHP Billiton Ltd. since November 2007. Mr. Mackenzie served as Chief Executive of Industrial Minerals Division for Rio Tinto Group, and Rio Tinto Ltd. since April 2004 and served as its Chief Executive of Diamonds and Minerals since June 1, 2007.
Mr. Mackenzie has very considerable wide-ranging international experience, he was 22 years with BP, primarily in the UK and North America in a range of Senior Technical and Engineering positions, including Head of Capital Markets in BP Finance, Chief Reservoir Engineer with oversight of oil and gas reserves and production, Head of Government and Public Affairs worldwide and Group Vice President Technology which included responsibility for Research and Development and Engineering.
Mr. Mackenzie served as Group Vice President of BP Petrochemicals. From 2005 to 2007, he served as the Chairman of the Board of trustees of the think tank, Demos. ■