BHP Billiton - New President Corporate Affairs

bhp billiton appoints new president corporate affairs

BHP Billiton today announced the appointment of Mr Tony Cudmore as President, Corporate Affairs. Tony will join the Group Management Committee (GMC) and commence in his role on 3 March 2014. He will report to the Chief Executive Officer Andrew Mackenzie and will be based at the Company's headquarters in Melbourne, Australia.

Tony joins BHP Billiton from Exxon Mobil Corporation where he most recently led International Corporate Brand Communications and Asia Pacific Government Relations. He joined ExxonMobil in 2001 and has held various senior public and government affairs roles.

Between 2006 and 2012, Tony was based at ExxonMobil's head office in Dallas, Texas, with roles including Manager, Corporate Public Affairs, and Manager, Media Relations. Before relocating to the United States in 2006, he was based in Melbourne with responsibility for Communications as well as Government Relations for ExxonMobil's upstream business. 

Tony has been based in Melbourne since November 2012 with global management accountability for ExxonMobil's corporate reputation advertising and brand communications for markets outside the United States. He also played an important role in ExxonMobil's US-based corporate advertising program supporting the company's brand communications, public policy advocacy and corporate social responsibility programs.

Before joining ExxonMobil Tony was the Assistant Director of the Australian Institute of Petroleum and prior to that, the Principal Adviser to the then Premier of Victoria, The Honourable Jeff Kennett MP.

Tony assumes direct responsibility for BHP Billiton Corporate Affairs from Karen Wood, who has been the acting head of Corporate Affairs since mid-2013 and led the search for the new function head. 

Karen is currently the longest-serving member of the BHP Billiton GMC. She will remain a key member of the GMC and will continue her work on a range of significant corporate and Board issues with Andrew Mackenzie, including GMC development and succession planning and executive remuneration. She will also retain accountability for the Company's office in London.

Further information on BHP Billiton can be found at: www.bhpbilliton.com.

Tony Cudmore

President, Corporate Affairs

Tony was announced as President, Corporate Affairs on 15 January 2014 and takes up the role with BHP Billiton on 3 March 2014, based in Melbourne. Tony, 44, joins BHP Billiton from ExxonMobil where he most recently led the company's International Corporate Brand Communications and Asia Pacific Government Relations from Australia.

In his 13-year career with ExxonMobil, Tony held a wide range of senior and global Corporate Affairs roles in Australia and Dallas, Texas, in the United States. His responsibilities have included integrating corporate and business unit communication strategies, programs and communications; employee communications; government relations; media relations; digital and social media programs; corporate advertising and branding and speech writing.

Before joining ExxonMobil, Tony was a Media Relations and Policy Adviser before becoming Principal Adviser to then Premier of Victoria, The Hon Jeff Kennett MP, followed by his role as Assistant Director of the Australian Institute of Petroleum.

Tony was born in Griffith, New South Wales, and raised in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Politics and Economics) and a Graduate Certificate of International Relations from Deakin University. He is married and has two sons.