27th Jan 2005 07:01
BHP Billiton PLC27 January 2005 Date 27 January 2005Number 04/05 BHP BILLITON APPOINTS PRESIDENT ENERGY COAL BHP Billiton announced today the appointment of Mahomed Seedat as PresidentEnergy Coal. In this role Mr Seedat will have responsibility for BHP Billiton'sdomestic and export thermal coal businesses. BHP Billiton is one of the largestproducers and marketers of export thermal coal and has interests in operationsin South Africa, North America, South America and Australia. Mr Seedat will bebased in Johannesburg, South Africa and will report to Philip Aiken, GroupPresident Energy. Mr Seedat has more than 20 years experience in the minerals industry, mostrecently as the President and COO Ingwe, responsible for BHP Billiton's energycoal business in southern Africa, which consists of seven mines with totalproduction exceeding 55 million tons per annum. From 2001 to 2004 Mr Seedat wasPresident and COO of BHP Billiton's southern Africa aluminium business with fullstrategic and operational responsibility for the three aluminium smelters inSouth Africa and Mozambique. Prior to this he was the General Manager HillsideAluminium, responsible for significantly improving production and decreasingcosts, making Hillside amongst the lowest cost producers of aluminium in theworld. Commenting on the appointment, Mr Aiken said: "Mahomed's depth of technicalexperience and commercial focus, and his outstanding record as a leader of largeand complex businesses, will serve him well in his new role as we furtherdevelop 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 KingdomJane Belcher, Investor Relations Mark Lidiard, Investor & Media RelationsTel: +61 3 9609 3952 Mobile: +61 417 031 653 Tel: +44 20 7802 4156email: [email protected] email: [email protected] Tania Price, Media Relations Ariane Gentil, Media RelationsTel: +61 3 9609 3815 Mobile: +61 419 152 780 Tel: +44 20 7802 4177email: [email protected] email: [email protected] United States South AfricaFrancis McAllister, Investor Relations Michael Campbell, Investor & Media RelationsTel: +1 713 961 8625 Mobile: +1 713 480 3699 Tel: +27 11 376 3360 Mobile: +27 82 458 2587email: [email protected] email: [email protected] Background Information Mr Mahomed Seedat Prior to his appointment as President Energy Coal, Mr Seedat served as Presidentand COO of BHP Billiton's energy coal business in South Africa, which consistsof seven mines with total production exceeding 55 million tons per annum. He wasappointed a member of the BHP Billiton Executive Committee in May 2004. From 2001 to 2004 as President & COO of BHP Billiton's Southern Africa aluminiumbusiness, Mr Seedat was responsible for the full strategic and operationalresponsibility for the three aluminium smelters in Southern Africa andMozambique, which together produce approximately 1,400,000 tons of primaryaluminium with a market value of US$1,250 million per annum. From 1997 to 2001 he served as General Manager Hillside Aluminium, responsiblefor significantly improving production and decreasing costs, making Hillsideamongst the lowest cost producers of aluminium in the world. Mr Seedat started his career in the minerals industry in 1980. Mr Seedat servesas a member of the Engineering Council SA, Institute of Electrical Engineers andthe Engineering Academy of South Africa. Career President and COO Ingwe 2004; President and COO Southern Africa Aluminium2001-2004; General Manager Hillside Aluminium 1997-2001; Manager Maintenance,Hillside Aluminium 1996-1997; Assistant Engineering Manager/Manager Engineering1994-1996; 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 CollieryConstruction Engineer 1987-1988; Surface Services Colliery Engineer, 1986-1987;Instrumentation Engineer 1982-1986; Engineering Assistant 1981-1982; GraduateJunior 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 childrenBHP Billiton Limited ABN 49 004 028 077 BHP Billiton Plc Registration number 3196209Registered in Australia Registered in England and WalesRegistered Office: Level 27, 180 Lonsdale Street Melbourne Registered Office: Neathouse Place London SW1V 1BH UnitedVictoria 3000 KingdomTelephone +61 1300 554 757 Facsimile +61 3 9609 3015 Telephone +44 20 7802 4000 Facsimile +44 20 7802 4111 The BHP Billiton Group is headquartered in Australia This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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