He wasn’t the obvious choice, but Brandon Craig has been hailed by investors as a “safe pair of hands” to lead BHP through a crucial turning point, away from a focus on iron ore in Australia and towards copper and the Americas.
Craig, a 25-year veteran of BHP who currently runs its Americas business and previously led its Western Australian iron ore operations, was announced as the new CEO of the $250 billion miner on Wednesday.
He will replace Mike Henry in July. He was not considered the frontrunner for the role, with CFO Vandita Pant and Australia president Geraldine Slattery seen as the strongest contenders throughout the process.
VanEck Australia deputy head of investments and capital markets Jamie Hannah told Capital Brief that it is “a lowkey, solid appointment from within internal ranks”.
