Australia-based Rio Tinto, the world's second biggest iron ore producer, has announced that its chief executive Sam Walsh will retire from the business on July 1, 2016 and will be succeeded by Copper & Coal division chief executive Jean-Sébastien Jacques. To ensure a smooth transition, Jean-Sébastien Jacques will join the board and become deputy chief executive with immediate effect.
According to the company’s statement, prior to joining Rio Tinto, Mr. Jacques worked for more than 15 years across Europe, Southeast Asia, India and the United States in a wide range of operational and functional positions in the aluminum, bauxite and steel industries. He served as group strategy director for Tata Steel Group from 2007 to 2011.