8th Mar 2007 07:00
BHP Billiton PLC08 March 2007 8 March 2007Number 07/07 BHP BILLITON TO COMBINE COAL BUSINESSES BHP Billiton today announced that, as part of the decision to manage the EnergyCoal business alongside the Iron Ore, Manganese and Metallurgical Coalbusinesses, Energy Coal and Metallurgical Coal would now be brought togetherunder a single Customer Sector Group President. The current President Metallurgical Coal, Dave Murray, will become President ofCoal, with responsibility for both the Metallurgical Coal and Energy Coalbusinesses. He will continue to report to Chris Lynch, Group President CarbonSteel Materials. Mr Murray has deep experience in the coal industry andspecifically in South Africa. Mr Lynch said the integration of the Energy Coal assets into the broader CarbonSteel Materials group had been successfully completed and the next stage was tocombine the coal businesses under a single Customer Sector Group President. Hesaid the combination would further strengthen BHP Billiton's commitment toimproving and enhancing the operations of the Group's coal assets in Australia,South Africa, Colombia, the US and Indonesia. There will be no change to thegroup's marketing structure. "This combination will allow us to maximise the operating synergies between ourcoal businesses and facilitate the transfer of skills and systems betweencountries and operations. It confirms our commitment to further improve the coalbusiness in each of the countries where we operate," Mr Lynch said. Mr Lynch said that the current President Energy Coal, Mahomed Seedat, had playeda valuable leadership role in the Energy Coal business and, in particular, hadmade significant progress in improving the performance of the South AfricanEnergy Coal assets. Mr Lynch said that he wanted to publicly acknowledge andthank Mr Seedat for his efforts in that regard. Further information on BHP Billiton can be found on our Internet site: www.bhpbilliton.com Australia United Kingdom Samantha Evans, Media Relations Mark Lidiard, Investor & Media RelationsTel: +61 3 9609 2898 Tel: +44 20 7802 4156 Mobile: +44 7769 934 942email: [email protected] email: [email protected] Belcher, Investor Relations Illtud Harri, Media RelationsTel: +61 3 9609 3952 Mobile: +61 417 031 653 Tel: +44 20 7802 4195 Mobile: +44 7920 237 246email: [email protected] email: [email protected] United States South Africa Tracey Whitehead, Investor & Media Relations Ivan Arriagada, Investor RelationsTel: US +1 713 599 6100 or UK +44 20 7802 4031 Tel: SA +27 11 376 2121 or UK +44 20 7802 4183Mobile: +44 7917 648 093 Mobile: +44 7769 936 227email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] BHP Billiton Limited ABN 49 004 028 077 BHP Billiton Plc Registration number 3196209 Registered 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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