- Rio Tinto (RIO) appoints Dominic Barton, Canada’s outgoing ambassador to China, as its Chair to replace Simon Thompson
- Mr Barton will join the board from April 4, 2022, and will be appointed Chair at the conclusion of Rio’s annual general meeting on May 5
- Mr Barton brings a wealth of experience to the company, spending over 30 years at management consulting firm McKinsey & Company
- He was also Chair of Teck Resources, a Non-Executive Director at Singtel Group and a Non-Executive Director at Investor AB
- Shares in Rio are up a slight 0.15 per cent and are trading at $98.15
Rio Tinto (RIO) has appointed Dominic Barton, Canada’s outgoing ambassador to China, as its Chair to replace Simon Thompson.
Mr Barton will join the board from April 4, 2022, and will be appointed Chair at the conclusion of Rio’s annual general meeting on May 5.
On this date, Mr Thompson will step down from his roles of Chair and Non-Executive Director.
Mr Barton commented on his appointment.
“It is a great honour to succeed Simon as Chair of Rio Tinto. Returning to the private sector, I am excited to join a company with world-class people and assets as it navigates a shifting competitive landscape and seeks to emerge as a leader in the climate transition,” Mr Barton said.
“I look forward to working with Jakob [Rio Chief Executive] and the board to implement a strategy that puts decarbonisation at the heart of the business and positions Rio Tinto to be a leader in addressing complex global problems while building and sustaining trust with host communities.”
Mr Barton brings a wealth of experience to the company, spending over 30 years at management consulting firm McKinsey & Company.
He has worked across a range of industries including consumer goods, high tech, banking and industrials.
Mr Barton was also Chair of Teck Resources, a Non-Executive Director at Singtel Group and a Non-Executive Director at Investor AB.
Further, he has held various leadership positions in the public sector, including Chair of Canada’s Advisory Council for Economic Growth and Chair of the International Advisory Committee to the President of South Korea on National Future and Vision.
Chief Executive Mr Stausholm commented on Mr Barton’s appointment.
“I am truly looking forward to working with Dominic in our effort to continue to strengthen Rio Tinto, in particular drawing on his wealth of experience across Asia in both a business and diplomatic capacity.”
Shares in Rio were up a slight 0.15 per cent on the market and were trading at $98.15 at 3:54 pm AEDT.