Rio Tinto appoints new Iron Ore Chief Executive

Rio Tinto announced on Thursday the appointment of Andrew Harding as Iron Ore Chief Executive.

Harding, former Copper Chief Executive, succeeds Sam Walsh who stepped up as Chief Executive of the mining giant last month. He will be based in Perth, Western Australia.

Former Copper President of International Operations, Jean-Sebastien Jacques, will take over from Harding.

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"These two appointments strengthen our senior management team and are in line with our strategy of developing the next generation of talented Rio Tinto leaders," Walsh said in a statement.

"Andrew's experience across a range of Rio Tinto businesses and countries and his three years on the executive committee mean he is ideally placed to run the highest-earning business in the group.

"He has done an excellent job leading the copper product group including taking Oyu Tolgoi from the drawing board to an operational mine on the verge of commercial production."

Harding began his career in Rio in the Iron Ore business in Pilbara in 1992 and has also held a range of positions in technology and innovation, energy and aluminium. He spent three years as chief executive of Rio Tinto's copper product group, based in London, responsible for mines including the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine in Mongolia.

Jacques has been with Rio Tinto for just over a year and brings experience in the steel and aluminium industries in Mongolia, Australia and South Africa.

"He will be an excellent addition to our executive team," Walsh added.

RD