|
BIL
BIBLT
BIL - BHP Billiton Plc - Jac Nasser to be BHP Billiton Chairman -
Don Argus to retire in early 2010
BHP Billiton Plc
Share code: BIL
ISIN: GB0000566504
4 August 2009
JAC NASSER TO BE BHP BILLITON CHAIRMAN -
DON ARGUS TO RETIRE IN EARLY 2010
The BHP Billiton Board today announced that Jac Nasser will succeed Don Argus as
Chairman when Mr Argus retires as Chairman and a Non-executive Director in early
2010.
Jac Nasser joined the BHP Billiton Board as a Non-executive Director in 2006 and
is a member of the Board`s Risk and Audit Committee.
He has extensive international business experience gained during his 33 years
with the Ford Motor Company where he was President and Chief Executive Officer.
Jac Nasser is also a Partner of One Equity Partners, the private equity arm of
JP Morgan, a Director of British Sky Broadcasting plc and sits on the
International Advisory Board of Allianz A.G.
Senior Independent Director for BHP Billiton Plc, John Buchanan, chaired the
Board which oversaw the entire chairman succession process.
"Jac Nasser will make an excellent successor to Don Argus as Chairman. He
combines deep international business knowledge along with outstanding financial,
senior management and board experiences. The Board looks forward to Jac leading
the Group as Chairman." John Buchanan said.
The decision to appoint Mr Nasser was agreed by the Board following an 18 month
selection process. The international recruitment firm, Heidrick & Struggles,
was engaged as independent adviser by the Board to assist the Board in its
deliberations and consideration of both internal and external candidates. KPMG
supported the final process as scrutineer.
The Director renewal process underway for the past seven years ensured high
quality internal candidates.
In making this announcement, the Board pays special tribute to the immense
contribution Don Argus has made to BHP Billiton over many years of dedicated
service. In the thirteen years since he joined the BHP Board, and particularly
over his ten years as Chairman, Don has led BHP Billiton to the distinctive
leadership role in its sector.
Mr Buchanan said that as part of the transition Mr Argus will stand for re-
election at the upcoming Annual General Meetings and will retire from the Board
in early 2010.
Further information on BHP Billiton can be found on our Internet site:
www.bhpbilliton.com
Australia United Kingdom
Samantha Evans, Media Relations Andre Liebenberg, Investor Relations
Tel: +61 3 9609 2898 Mobile: +61 400 Tel: +44 20 7802 4131 Mobile: +44 7920
693 915 236 974
email: Samantha.Evans@bhpbilliton.com email: Andre.Liebenberg@bhpbilliton.com
Peter Ogden, Media Relations Illtud Harri, Media Relations
Tel: +61 3 9609 2812 Mobile: +61 428 Tel: +44 20 7802 4195 Mobile: +44 7920
599 190 237 246
email: Peter.Ogden@bhpbilliton.com email: Illtud.Harri@bhpbilliton.com
Kelly Quirke, Media Relations United States
Tel: +61 3 9609 2896 Mobile: +61 429 Scott Espenshade, Investor Relations
966 312 Tel: +1 713 599 6431 Mobile: +1 713
email: Kelly.Quirke@bhpbilliton.com 208 8565
email: Scott.Espenshade@bhpbilliton.com
Leng Lau, Investor Relations
Tel: +61 3 9609 4202 Mobile: +61 403 Ruban Yogarajah, Media Relations
533 706 Tel: US +1 713 966 2907 or UK +44 20
email: Leng.Y.Lau@bhpbilliton.com 7802 4033Mobile: UK +44 7827 082 022
email: Ruban.Yogarajah@bhpbilliton.com
South Africa
Bronwyn Wilkinson, Investor and Media
Relations
Tel: +44 20 7802 4015 Mobile: +44
7500 785 892
email:
Bronwyn.Wilkinson@bhpbilliton.com
BHP Billiton Limited ABN 49 004 028 BHP Billiton Plc Registration number
077 3196209
Registered in Australia Registered in England and Wales
Registered Office: 180 Lonsdale Registered Office: Neathouse Place
Street London SW1V 1BH United Kingdom
Melbourne Victoria 3000 Australia Tel +44 20 7802 4000 Fax +44 20 7802
Tel +61 1300 55 4757 Fax +61 3 9609 4111
3015
A member of the BHP Billiton group which is headquartered in
Australia
JAC NASSER - BIOGRAPHY
Jac Nasser was born 12 December 1947 in Amyoun, Lebanon and migrated to
Australia with his parents and a brother at the age of four. His sister was
born in Australia.
Mr Nasser grew up in Australia, graduated in business at RMIT University and has
an honorary Doctorate of Technology. An Australian and also a U.S. citizen, he
speaks English, Arabic, Spanish and Portuguese.
Mr Nasser began his 33 year career with the Ford Motor Company in Broadmeadows
outside of Melbourne thereafter rising through the company before being named
President of the Global Automotive Business in 1996 and in 1999 became President
and Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
He has held senior management positions with Ford in Asia, South America, Europe
and North America. In 1989, he was posted back to Australia to take charge of
Ford`s Australian operations. During this period, Ford Australia achieved
excellent results, and Mr Nasser was a champion of a strong manufacturing and
technical base in Australia.
Following Australia, Mr Nasser was appointed as Chairman of Ford of Europe where
he led a strategy focused on product innovation, engineering excellence and
growth.
He later became Global Head of Product Development from 1994 to 1996, President
of the Global Automotive Business from 1996 to 1999. On 1 January 1999, Mr
Nasser was appointed President and CEO of Ford Motor Company in Dearborn,
Michigan.
During his tenure as CEO, Ford became the world`s most profitable volume
carmaker and pioneered the global product development business model for the
industry. It also out-performed the S&P500 and its closest automotive rivals in
total shareholder returns in each year that he led the famous "Blue Oval".
With a vision of Ford as the potential leader in the world car market, Mr Nasser
focused on global competitiveness, closer connections to the consumer, increased
diversity of Ford`s customer proposition and tough but necessary restructuring.
In his leadership roles during the 1990s, and as CEO, Ford achieved a number of
milestones including:
* Formation of single global enterprise, under "Ford 2000" project, that
helped deliver more than a dozen consecutive quarters of improved earnings.
* Market capitalisation increased more than threefold to US$70 billion.
* Total shareholder returns in top 25 per cent of S&P500 companies.
* The first automaker to optimise earnings from the entire supply/retail
chain including customer service, after-market parts and extended service
support.
* Diversified Ford reliance on SUV/pick-ups in North America with creation of
the Premier Automotive Group, built around Volvo and Land Rover.
* Paved the way for a fundamental re-organisation of labour, supplier and
dealer structures.
* Initiated a leadership and continuous learning program throughout the
entire organisation that focused on the development of people including the
leadership skills of Ford`s future leaders.
* Pioneered Ford`s expansion into key growth markets such as Turkey, Brazil,
China and India.
After leaving Ford in October 2001, Mr Nasser became one of the original senior
partners in One Equity Partners. One Equity Partners is the global private
equity arm of JP Morgan and is regarded as one of the most successful groups in
this field with several billion dollars committed and invested in a diverse
portfolio of strategically important industries. His responsibilities include
developing, evaluating and implementing direct equity investments in various
industries around the world.
Mr Nasser became a Non-executive Director of BHP Billiton in June 2006 and is a
member of the Board`s Risk and Audit Committee. He is also a member of the
International Advisory Board of Allianz A.G. and a Director of British Sky
Broadcasting plc. He was Chairman of Polaroid through early 2005 and a Director
of Brambles Limited and Quintiles Transnational Corporation until 2008.
In recognition of his work for industry, as an adviser to government, and for
education in the area of technology, he was awarded an Order of Australia and a
Centenary Medal. Mr Nasser was also awarded the Order of the Cedar from
Lebanon. In 2008 he received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor for outstanding
contributions to American Society.
-ends-
Date: 04/08/2009 08:52:01 Produced by the JSE SENS Department.
The SENS service is an information dissemination service administered by the
JSE Limited (`JSE`). The JSE does not, whether expressly, tacitly or
implicitly, represent, warrant or in any way guarantee the truth, accuracy or
completeness of the information published on SENS. The JSE, their officers,
employees and agents accept no liability for (or in respect of) any direct,
indirect, incidental or consequential loss or damage of any kind or nature,
howsoever arising, from the use of SENS or the use of, or reliance on,
information disseminated through SENS. |
|
