BHP BILLITON APPOINTS PRESIDENT ENERGY COAL27 Jan 2005
BHP BILLITON PLC - BHP BILLITON APPOINTS PRESIDENT ENERGY COAL                  
BHP Billiton Plc                                                                
SHARE CODE:  BPL                                                                
ISIN: GB000056650                                                               
NEWS RELEASE                                                                    
Date      27 January 2005                                                       
BHP BILLITON APPOINTS PRESIDENT ENERGY COAL                                     
BHP Billiton announced today the appointment of Mahomed Seedat as President     
Energy Coal. In this role Mr Seedat will have responsibility for BHP Billiton`s 
domestic and export thermal coal businesses.  BHP Billiton is one of the largest
producers and marketers of export thermal coal and has interests in operations  
in South Africa, North America, South America and Australia.  Mr Seedat will be 
based in Johannesburg, South Africa and will report to Philip Aiken, Group      
President Energy.                                                               
Mr Seedat has more than 20 years experience in the minerals industry, most      
recently as the President and COO Ingwe, responsible for BHP Billiton`s energy  
coal business in southern Africa, which consists of seven mines with total      
production exceeding 55 million tons per annum.  From 2001 to 2004 Mr Seedat was
President and COO of BHP Billiton`s southern Africa aluminium business with full
strategic and operational responsibility for the three aluminium smelters in    
South Africa and Mozambique.   Prior to this he was the General Manager Hillside
Aluminium, responsible for significantly improving production and decreasing    
costs, making Hillside amongst the lowest cost producers of aluminium in the    
world.                                                                          
Commenting on the appointment, Mr Aiken said: `Mahomed`s depth of technical     
experience and commercial focus, and his outstanding record as a leader of large
and complex businesses, will serve him well in his new role as we further       
develop our energy coal business across the globe. `                            
Mr Seedat will take on his new responsibilities with immediate effect.          
Further information on BHP Billiton can be found on our Internet site:          
http://www.bhpbilliton.com                                                      
Australia                             United Kingdom                            
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Background Information                                                          
Mr Mahomed Seedat                                                               
Prior to his appointment as President Energy Coal, Mr Seedat served as President
and COO of BHP Billiton`s energy coal business in South Africa, which consists  
of seven mines with total production exceeding 55 million tons per annum.  He   
was appointed a member of the BHP Billiton Executive Committee in May 2004.     
From 2001 to 2004 as President & COO of BHP Billiton`s Southern Africa aluminium
business, Mr Seedat was responsible for the full strategic and operational      
responsibility for the three aluminium smelters in Southern Africa and          
Mozambique, which together produce approximately 1,400,000 tons of primary      
aluminium with a market value of US$1,250 million per annum.                    
From 1997 to 2001 he served as General Manager Hillside Aluminium, responsible  
for significantly improving production and decreasing costs, making Hillside    
amongst the lowest cost producers of aluminium in the world.                    
Mr Seedat started his career in the minerals industry in 1980.  Mr Seedat serves
as a member of the Engineering Council SA, Institute of Electrical Engineers and
the Engineering Academy of South Africa.                                        
Career                                                                          
President and COO Ingwe 2004; President and COO Southern Africa Aluminium 2001- 
2004; General Manager Hillside Aluminium 1997-2001; Manager Maintenance,        
Hillside Aluminium 1996-1997; Assistant Engineering Manager/Manager Engineering 
1994-1996; Electrical Engineering Manager Richards Bay Coal Terminal 1992-1994; 
1980-1991 the following positions with Amcoal: Landau Project Engineer 1991;    
Electrical Services Colliery Engineer, 1988-1990; Underground Colliery          
Construction Engineer 1987-1988; Surface Services Colliery Engineer, 1986-1987; 
Instrumentation Engineer 1982-1986; Engineering Assistant  1981-1982; Graduate  
Junior Engineer 1980-1981.                                                      
Personal                                                                        
Bachelor of Electrical Engineering, University of Durban-Westville, 1974-1979   
Program in Management Development, Harvard Business School, 1990                
Government Certificate Mines and Works                                          
Management Development Program, UNISA                                           
Married with six children