BHP splits Americas leadership in broad management reshuffle

BHP split its President Americas role into separate North America and South America posts, naming Jessica Farrell to lead North America from July 1 while she also serves as acting president of South America until a permanent appointee is found. The move came as part of a broader executive reshuffle at one of the world’s largest miners.

Brandon Craig, who becomes chief executive on July 1, said the leadership changes were designed to ensure BHP had the right mix of skills, experience and perspectives to deliver strategy and growth. Craig succeeds Mike Henry, who steps down after six and a half years as CEO. Basto will move in September into a newly created role, chief enterprise performance officer, while keeping responsibility for health, safety and security. Geraldine Slattery will remain president of Australia and take on Copper South Australia.

North and South America face different political, labor and regulatory conditions, from permitting and community relations to taxation and export rules, and BHP’s decision gives each region a separate line of management as the company pushes for output growth. Craig has led growth strategy in future-facing commodities across South America, Canada and the United States since 2024.

The company’s growth pipeline is heavily weighted toward copper. BHP calls Resolution Copper in the United States one of the largest undeveloped copper projects in the world and a project that could become a significant producer in North America. BHP has more than 80,000 employees and contractors across 90 locations worldwide. Farrell has more than two decades across BHP’s commodities and operating regions, including leadership in Western Australia Nickel Asset President.