BHP Group Plc (LON: BHP) have announced two new senior appointments in an update on Thursday.
Shares of BHP modestly rallied 0.06% to 1,677p after the announcement. 14/11/19 14:05BST.
BHP announced that Mike Henry, the current president of Australian operations would be appointed as new chief executive.Additionally, Carolyn Hewson departed as a non executive, who retired as a director on November 7th.
Henry replaces incumbent Andrew Mackenzie who will step down as a member of the firm’s executive team on December 31, before retiring on June 30, 2020.
Henry has been a member of BHP’s executive leadership team since 2011, and was appointed President of Operations Minerals Australia.
He said: “I am honoured and privileged to be appointed as CEO and to have the opportunity to lead the talented and hard-working people who make BHP a great company. For more than 130 years, through the ingenuity and commitment of its people, BHP has delivered shareholder value while successfully adapting its portfolio, operations and products. Today we are even safer, more predictable and more focused.
“We must operate safely, with discipline and reduce our impact on the environment. With the right people and the right culture we will deliver value and strong returns for shareholders and for all of society.”
Henry has worked with BHP since 2003, and BHP added “has 30 years’ experience in the global mining and petroleum industry, spanning operational, commercial, safety, technology and marketing roles”.
The appointment of Henry shows a change of both strategy and direction for the FTSE100 (INDEXFTSE: UKX) listed firm.
In a time where competitors are gaining ground in the industry, the change in personnel could allow BHP to boost revenues and profits in a mixed financial 2019.
Rivals such as Serabi Gold (LON:SRB) have posted strong production figures in their third quarter update, whilst Goldplat shares jumped as they posted strong profit gains.
