BHP has announced the appointment of Edgar Basto as President Minerals Australia, effective 1 July 2020.
Mr Basto, who joined BHP in 1989, has held senior leadership roles across a range of commodities including iron ore, copper, coal and nickel.
Originally, from Colombia, Mr Basto has been based in Perth since 2016, and has been the Acting President Operations Minerals Australia since November 2019.
From 2016 to 2019, Mr Basto was Asset President Western Australia Iron Ore (WAIO), and spearheaded the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia for two years between 2018 and 2020.
In making the announcement, BHP Chief Executive Officer, Mike Henry, said Mr Basto was the obvious candidate to lead BHP’s Australian minerals business, which has a workforce of more than 40,000 people, and annual EBITDA of approximately US$16 billion.
Edgar’s leadership and experience will make BHP’s Australian minerals operations safer, lower cost, more productive and more reliable,” Mr Henry said.
“He is passionate about the role we play in communities and the responsibility we have to those who both rely on and support BHP to create social value through our activities.”
“Edgar has a track record of delivery. WAIO has regularly delivered production records and reduced costs by 15 per cent since 2016. Under Edgar’s leadership, BHP became the lowest-cost major iron ore producer in the world. At the same time, he has forged stronger relationships in the Pilbara and in Perth.”
