Rio Tinto iron ore chief executive Matthew Holcz has been tasked with uniting the company’s major international iron ore operations under one roof, as part of global chief executive Simon Trott’s mandate to streamline the business.
Holcz joined Rio Tinto in 2007 and has more than 20 years’ experience across operations, major projects and commercial roles in iron ore, copper and nickel, spanning Australia, Asia, South America and London. He was most recently managing director of Pilbara Mines, overseeing the company’s 18 iron ore mines in the region.
In his new role, Holcz will oversee Rio Tinto’s global iron ore business, integrating the Pilbara operations with the Iron Ore Company of Canada and the Simandou project in Guinea once it is completed.
In a LinkedIn post, Holcz said he was excited by the opportunities ahead.
“We’re continuing to invest heavily in the Pilbara because we believe in its long-term future,” he said. “Having grown up there, I’ve seen the importance of that investment for our communities, our people and the generations who will follow.”
He added that bringing together the WA operations, the Canadian business and Simandou “will create the world’s only truly global iron ore business” and combine “the inspiring histories of our Australian and Canadian operations with the enormous untapped potential that Simandou represents”.
Holcz, who grew up in the Pilbara, began his mining career in 2002 with Western Mining Corporation in operational roles. In 2005, he joined BHP, before moving to Rio Tinto in 2007, initially in a commercial role in its London office. He holds bachelor’s degrees in commerce and engineering from the University of Western Australia.
His appointment forms part of an executive shake-up at Rio Tinto, as Trott, who became global chief executive in late August, works to simplify and reshape the company.
“He (Holcz) is the kind of leader we need to drive safety standards, performance and strong partnerships with communities in our largest global business,” Trott said.
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