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BHP BILLITON PLC - BHP BILLITON APPOINTS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, ALUMINIUM
SOUTHERN AFRICA
BHP Billiton Plc
SHARE CODE: BPL
ISIN: GB000056650
NEWS RELEASE
Date 10 January 2005
BHP BILLITON APPOINTS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, ALUMINIUM SOUTHERN AFRICA
BHP Billiton today announced the appointment of Dr Xolani Mkhwanazi as Chief
Operating Officer, Aluminium southern Africa, to be based in Johannesburg, with
effect from 1 February 2005. This position, previously held by Mr Mahomed
Seedat, is the most senior aluminium executive located in southern Africa and
reports to the President, BHP Billiton Aluminium, Mr Alex Vanselow, with a close
working relationship to BHP Billiton Chairman South Africa, Dr Vincent Maphai.
Dr Mkhwanazi will be responsible for BHP Billiton`s southern African aluminium
smelters, Hillside, Bayside and Mozal. More specifically, his role will be to
maximise the value and potential of these smelters by providing appropriate
strategic direction and capitalising on commonalities between them, while also
facilitating future aluminium opportunities in the region.
Dr Mkhwanazi has a PhD from the University of Lancaster in United Kingdom. A
nuclear physicist, Dr Mkhwanazi played an important role in the restructuring of
the electricity supply industry in South Africa. He is currently Chief
Executive Officer at Bateman Africa Limited.
Mr Vanselow, President BHP Billiton Aluminium said: `Southern Africa is a core
element of our global aluminium activity and Dr Mkhwanazi`s experience will hold
us in good stead as we seek further value from our 3 smelters, Hillside, Bayside
and Mozal, while developing opportunities to grow further the aluminium business
throughout the region.`
Further information on BHP Billiton can be found on our Internet site:
http://www.bhpbilliton.com
Australia United Kingdom
Jane Belcher, Investor Relations Mark Lidiard, Investor & Media
Tel: +61 3 9609 3952 Mobile: +61 417 Relations
031 653 Tel: +44 20 7802 4156
email: Jane.H.Belcher@bhpbilliton.com email:
Mark.Lidiard@bhpbilliton.com
Tania Price, Media Relations Ariane Gentil, Media Relations
Tel: +61 3 9609 3815 Mobile: +61 419 Tel: +44 20 7802 4177 Mobile: +44
152 780 78 81 51 8715
email: Tania.Price@bhpbilliton.com email:
Ariane.Gentil@bhpbilliton.com
United States
Francis McAllister, Investor South Africa
Relations Michael Campbell, Investor & Media
Tel: +1 713 961 8625 Mobile: +1 713 Relations
480 3699 Tel: +27 11 376 3360 Mobile: +27
email: 82 458 2587
Francis.R.McAllister@bhpbilliton.com email:
Michael.J.Campbell@bhpbilliton.com
Background Information
Dr Xolani H Mkhwanazi
Dr Xolani Mkhwanazi was appointed Chief Operating Officer, Aluminium southern
Africa for BHP Billiton on 1 February 2005.
Prior to this appointment, Dr Mkhwanazi served as CEO of Bateman Africa Limited
from April 2004. Dr Mkhwanazi was previously CEO of the National Electricity
Regulator (NER) where he was responsible for rebuilding the NER into a top
utility regulatory authority in Africa, transforming it into a fully
representative organisation at all levels.
A nuclear physicist, Dr Mkhwanazi previously worked for the Atomic Energy
Corporation and the CSIR. He played an important role driving the restructuring
of the electricity supply industry in South Africa. He began his career as a
Physics lecturer at the University of Swaziland and was appointed Head of the
Physics Department after obtaining his PhD from the University of Lancaster, UK.
Dr Mkhwanazi later became a Research Fellow at the University of Western
Australia.
Career
2004 - 2005: Bateman Africa Limited; 1999 - 2004: National Electricity Regulator
(NER); 1997 - 1999:National Science And Technology Forum (NSTF); 1995 - 1997:
Council For Scientific And Industrial Research (CSIR); 1993 - 1995: Atomic
Energy Corporation; 1989 - 1992: University of Western Australia; 1984 - 1988:
University of Swaziland.
Personal
B Sc Maths and Physics, University of Botswana and Swaziland
MA and Ph. D, University of Lancaster, United Kingdom.
Executive Development Programme, Wits Business School
Married with four children.
Date of birth: 25 March 1955. |
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