Rio Tinto, Glencore and Yancoal are ending the month of February with a handful of changes to their boards.
Rio Tinto
Rio Tinto chair Dominic Barton said there would be a number of changes to the major’s board this year as the company ends its directors transitional period.
“As we reported last year, the size of the board peaked at 14 directors as we retained the expertise and experience of our longer-serving directors during a transitional period as newer directors familiarise themselves with the group,” Barton said.
The changes will see directors Sam Laidlaw, Simon Henry and Kaisa Hietala step down as directors throughout the year.
Laidlaw, who will step down at the conclusion of Rio’s annual general meeting (AGM) in May 2025, was appointed to the board in February 2017. He has served as chair of the company’s people and remuneration committee and as the senior independent director.
Henry was appointed to the board in April 2017 and will step down in the second half of 2025. He has served as chair of the audit and risk committee since May 2019.
Hietala will follow Laidlaw in stepping down after the May AGM. Since joining the board in March 2023, Hietala has guided the company on energy transition and business transformation.
Glencore
María Margarita Zuleta has been appointed as an independent non-executive director of Glencore with immediate effect.
Zuleta has served as Dean of the School of Government of Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia, since April 2019. Her other roles have included Colombian Deputy Minister of Justice in 2002, and Director of the Presidential Program against Corruption in 2004.
Glencore chairman Kalidas Madhavpeddi said the directors are looking forward to welcoming Zuleta to the board.
“We believe that her broad legal, compliance and public service experience will bring additional balance to the board,” Madhavpeddi said. “We also believe that it is helpful to have a director join us from South America given our asset and projects base there. We look forward to benefiting from her skills and experience.”
Yancoal
Yancoal has welcomed three new non-executive directors to its board: Jiuhong Wang, Zhiguo Zhao and Angi Li.
Wang will join the team as a member of the health, safety, environment and community committee, Zhao will be appointed to the audit and risk management committee, and Li will join as a member of the strategy and development committee.
“Our three new directors are all welcome additions to the board; we anticipate their complementary skill sets in the mine operations, financial management and project execution will enhance the capabilities of the board,” Yancoal chairman Gang Ru said.
Changyi Zhang has stepped down as a non-executive director and member of the strategy and development committee, after being appointed in April 2023, due to work arrangement changes within China Cinda.
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