Rio Tinto Plc
RIO:LN
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Overview
Company Profile
Mining giant Rio Tinto may be UK-based, but its operations make it truly a global company. The group has a solid reputation, mining aluminium, copper, gold, diamond, iron and lead. The majority of earnings come from the base metal side of the group. Currencies are a big influence of earnings each year.
Classification
Financials
News & Media
Corporate
Board of Directors
Jan du Plessis
Chairman
Appointment: Director of Rio Tinto since 2008. Jan was appointed chairman in 2009. He is the chairman of the Nominations Committee (notes R, N and C). Skills and experience: Jan, a South African and British citizen, became group finance director of Compagnie Financière Richemont, the Swiss luxury goods group, in 1988. In 2004, he was appointed chairman of British American Tobacco plc, a position which he held until 2009.
Sam Walsh AO
Chief executive
Appointment: Director of Rio Tinto since 2009. He was appointed chief executive in 2013 (note C). Skills and experience: Sam, an Australian citizen, joined Rio Tinto in 1991, following 20 years in the automotive industry at General Motors and Nissan Australia. He has held a number of management positions during his career at Rio Tinto including chief executive of the Aluminium group from 2001 to 2004, chief executive of the Iron Ore group from 2004 to 2009 and chief executive, Iron Ore and Australia from 2009 to 2013. Sam is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management, the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management, the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Australian Academy of Technical Science and Engineering. In 2010, he was appointed an Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia.
Christopher Lynch
Chief financial officer
Appointment: Director of Rio Tinto since 2011 (non-executive) and chief financial officer since 2013 (note C). Skills and experience: Chris, an Australian citizen, has nearly 30 years’ experience in the mining and metals industry. He was chief executive officer of the Transurban Group, an international toll road developer and manager with interests in Australia and North America, until 2012. His career has included seven years at BHP Billiton, where he was chief financial officer and then executive director and group president – Carbon Steel Materials. Prior to this, Chris spent 20 years with Alcoa Inc. where he was vice-president and chief information officer based in Pittsburgh, and chief financial officer Alcoa Europe in Switzerland. He was also managing director of KAAL Australia Limited, a joint venture company formed by Alcoa and Kobe Steel.
Robert Brown
Non-executive director
Bob is a Canadian citizen and contributes his considerable experience in large, high-profile Canadian companies. He is chairman of Aimia Inc., a customer loyalty management provider, and serves on the board of BCE Inc. (Bell Canada Enterprises), Canada’s largest communications company. He was previously president and chief executive officer of CAE Inc., a world leader in flight simulation and training. Before that he spent 16 years at Bombardier Inc., the aerospace and transportation company, where he was firstly head of the Aerospace Group and then president and chief executive officer. He has also served as chairman of Air Canada and of the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada. Bob was inducted to the Order of Canada as well as l’Ordre National du Québec. He has been awarded honorary doctorates from five Canadian universities.
Megan Clark AC
Non-Executive Director
Megan, an Australian citizen, was chief executive of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) from 2009 until 2014. Prior to CSIRO, Megan held various mineral exploration, mine geology and strategy roles with Western Mining Corporation, was a director at NM Rothschild and Sons (Australia) and was vice president Technology and subsequently vice president Health, Safety, Environment, Community and Sustainability with BHP Billiton from 2003 to 2008. She holds a PhD in economic geology from Queen’s University, Canada and is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and the Australian Institute of Company Directors. In 2014 she was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia.
Ann Godbehere
Non-Executive Director
Ann, a Canadian and British citizen, has more than 25 years’ experience in the financial services industry. She spent ten years at Swiss Re, a global reinsurer, latterly as chief financial officer from 2003 until 2007. She was interim chief financial officer and executive director of Northern Rock bank after its nationalisation. Ann is a qualified accountant.
Richard Goodmanson
Non-Executive Director
Richard, a US citizen, was executive vice president and chief operating officer of DuPont until 2009. Prior to this he was president and chief executive officer of America West Airlines and senior vice president of operations for Frito-Lay, Inc., a subsidiary of PepsiCo. Richard has worked at senior levels for McKinsey & Co, where he led client service teams on major programmes of strategy development. He spent ten years in heavy civil engineering project management, principally in South East Asia, including the construction of the Hong Kong Subway System.
Anne Lauvergeon
Non-Executive Director
Anne, a French citizen, started her professional career in 1983 in the steel industry and in 1990 was named Adviser for Economic International Affairs at the French Presidency and Deputy Chief of its Staff in 1991. In 1995 she became a Partner of Lazard Frères & Cie, subsequently joining Alcatel Telecom as Senior Executive Vice President in 1997, where she was responsible for international activities and the Group\'s industrial shareholdings in the energy and securities sectors. She served as chairman and chief executive officer of COGEMA from 1999 until 2011 and Chief Executive Officer of AREVA Group from 2001 until 2011.
Michael L’Estrange AO
Non-Executive Director
Michael, an Australian citizen, joined the Australian Government\'s Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet in 1981. From 1989 to 1994, he worked in a range of policy advisory positions before he was appointed the inaugural executive director of the Menzies Research Centre in Canberra in 1995. In 1996, he was appointed by the Prime Minister as secretary to cabinet and head of the Cabinet Policy Unit. He served in that role until 2000 when he became Australia\'s high commissioner to the United Kingdom. He returned to Australia as secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade from 2005 to 2009. In 2007, he was appointed as an Officer in the Order of Australia. Michael served as head of college of the National Security College at the Australian National University from 2009 until 2014 and he is a professor at the college.
Simon Thompson
Non-Executive Director
Simon, a British citizen, was an executive director of Anglo American plc, chairman and chief executive of the Base Metals Division, chairman of the Exploration Division and chairman of Tarmac. Prior to his career with Anglo American he held investment banking positions at S. G. Warburg and N M Rothschild.
John Varley
Non-Executive Director
John, a British citizen, joined Barclays PLC in 1982 after working as a solicitor. He was chief executive of Barclays from 2004 until 2010. During a 28-year career with the bank he held several senior positions, including chairman of the Asset Management division, group finance director and deputy chief executive.