Bhp Billiton Appoints President Gas and Power16 Mar 2004
Bhp Billiton Appoints President Gas and Power                                   
  BHP BILLITION PLC                                                               
  SHARE CODE     :  BIL                                                           
  ISIN CODE      :  GB0000566504                                                  
  Date       16 March 2004                                                        
  BHP BILLITON APPOINTS PRESIDENT GAS AND POWER                                   
  BHP Billiton announced today the appointment of Rebecca McDonald as President   
  Gas and Power and a member of the BHP Billiton Executive Committee. In this role
  Ms McDonald will have responsibility for the development and implementation of  
  BHP Billiton"s gas marketing and commercialisation strategy and will report to  
  Phil Aiken, Group President Energy.                                             
  Ms McDonald has over 20 years experience in the energy industry, including from 
  1993 to 1995 as Group Vice President, Amoco Corporation, responsible for Amoco"s
  world-wide natural gas commercialisation and North American natural gas liquids 
  business, and from 1995 to 1999 as President and Chief Executive Officer of     
  Amoco Energy Development Corporation, responsible for the development of equity 
  interests in international natural gas and power production operations.  Most   
  recently, Ms McDonald was employed as President, Houston Museum of Natural      
  Science and prior to this was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Enron     
  Global Assets, responsible for the growth and operations of their asset         
  portfolio throughout Asia, Africa and South America.                            
  Commenting on the appointment, Mr Aiken said: "We are delighted to welcome      
  Rebecca to BHP Billiton"s management team. Rebecca"s knowledge of the oil and   
  gas markets throughout the world is ideal for this role as we further develop   
  our gas marketing and commercialisation strategy in North America, Europe and   
  the Asia Pacific region."                                                       
  Ms McDonald is due to take up her appointment on 29 March 2004.                 
  Biographical details of Ms McDonald are attached.                               
  BACKGROUND INFORMATION                                                          
  Ms Rebecca McDonald                                                             
  Rebecca McDonald was appointed President Gas and Power and a member of the BHP  
  Billiton Executive Committee on 16 March 2004.                                  
  Prior to joining BHP Billiton, Ms McDonald served as President of the Houston   
  Museum of Natural Science having been on the board of trustees for a period of  
  five years.                                                                     
  From 1999 to May 2001, Ms McDonald, as Chairman and Chief Executive officer of  
  Enron Global Assets, was responsible for the development, construction and      
  operation of Enron"s asset portfolio throughout Asia, Africa and South America. 
  These operations included natural gas and liquids pipelines, gas and electricity
  distribution companies, power plant and gas processing facilities.              
  From June 1993 to February 1999, Ms McDonald was employed by Amoco Corporation, 
  initially as Group Vice President, responsible for Amoco"s natural gas          
  commercialisation world-wide, North American natural gas liquids business and   
  establishing their North America trading operations. In 1995, Ms McDonald was   
  appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Amoco Energy Development     
  Company and added to her responsibilities the development of equity interests in
  international natural gas and power operations. During her time at Amoco, Ms    
  McDonald oversaw the completion of more that US$10 billion of projects world-   
  wide.                                                                           
  Ms McDonald started her career in the energy industry in 1981. Ms McDonald      
  currently serves as an independent director for Granite Construction Company,   
  Trammell Crow Company, Eagle Global Logistics and Noble Energy, Inc.            
  CAREER                                                                          
  President, Houston Museum of Natural Science 2001-2004; Chairman and Chief      
  Executive Officer, Enron Global Assets 1999-2001; President and Chief Executive 
  Officer, Amoco Energy Development Company 1995-1999; Group Vice President, Amoco
  Corporation 1993-1995; President, Tenneco Energy Services 1991-1993; Vice       
  President Strategic Planning, Tenneco Gas Company 1990-1991; Vice President and 
  General Manager, Panhandle Trading Company 1983-1990; Panhandle Eastern 1980-   
  1983; Fluor Corporation 1974-1979.                                              
  PERSONAL                                                                        
  Bachelor of Science, Stephen F. Austin University, USA                          
  JP MorganChase, Regional Advisory Board                                         
  Served on the U.S. Clean Air Act Advisory Committee                             
  Married, one child.                                                             
  Further information on BHP Billiton can be found on our Internet site:          
  http://www.bhpbilliton.com                                                      
  Australia                                                                       
  Andrew Nairn, Investor Relations                                                
  Tel: +61 3 9609 3952  Mobile: +61 408 313 259                                   
  email: Andrew.W.Nairn@bhpbilliton.com                                           
  United Kingdom                                                                  
  Mark Lidiard, Investor & Media Relations                                        
  Tel: +44 20 7802 4156                                                           
  email: Mark.Lidiard@bhpbilliton.com                                             
  Tania Price, Media Relations                                                    
  Tel: +61 3 9609 3815  Mobile: +61 419 152 780                                   
  email: Tania.Price@bhpbilliton.com                                              
  United States                                                                   
  Francis McAllister, Investor Relations                                          
  Tel: +1 713 961 8625  Mobile: +1 713 480 3699                                   
  email: Francis.R.McAllister@bhpbilliton.com                                     
  Ariane Gentil, Media Relations                                                  
  Tel: +44 20 7802 4177                                                           
  email: Ariane.Gentil@bhpbilliton.com                                            
  South Africa                                                                    
  Michael Campbell, Investor & Media Relations                                    
  Tel: +27 11 376 3360  Mobile: +27 82 458 2587                                   
  email: Michael.J.Campbell@bhpbilliton.com                                       
  Date: 16/03/2004 10:31:56 AM Produced by the JSE SENS Department