World’s biggest miner BHP appoints Mike Henry new CEO
BHP has announced that Mike Henry has been appointed its Chief Executive Officer and will replace Andrew Mackenzie when he takes up the role on 1 January 2020
Henry has 30 years’ experience in the global mining and petroleum industry, spanning operational, commercial, safety, technology and marketing roles. He was appointed to his current role of President Operations Minerals Australia in 2016, and has been a member of the Executive Leadership Team since 2011.
Reacting to his appointment, CEO-Elect Mike Henry, 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 will unlock even greater value from our ore bodies and petroleum basins by enabling our people with the capability, data and technology to innovate and improve. 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.”
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Chairman Ken MacKenzie commented: “Mike Henry’s deep operational and commercial experience, developed in a global career spanning the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia, is the perfect mix for our next CEO. I am confident his discipline and focus will deliver a culture of high performance and returns for BHP. Mike has been a strong advocate for the industry, driving higher standards of safety and a commitment to our local communities and global stakeholders.
“We would like to recognise the outstanding contribution of Andrew Mackenzie to BHP as CEO. Under his leadership, BHP has transformed into a simpler and more productive company, financially strong and sharply focused on value for shareholders. We thank him for his vision and hard work, which has changed the way we operate and engage with the world.”
The general consensus across the industry is that the world’s biggest miner has chosen a ‘safe pair of hands’. The former CEO’s right-hand man has been at the company since 2003.
Henry is expected to spend much of next year travelling around BHP’s global operations before making any significant strategic decisions. On the horizon, analysts predict hard decisions about the firm’s oil operations will need to be made, while its potash project at Jansen in Canada has faced mounting criticism. BHP has spent billions on the project in Saskatchewan, but potash is yet to be produced at the mine.
