(Bloomberg) — Rio Tinto Group, the world’s top iron ore exporter, named the former Canadian ambassador to China Dominic Barton as its new chairman. He replaces Simon Thompson, who announced his intent to retire earlier this year, after a scandal around the miner’s destruction of ancient rock shelters in Australia’s Juukan Gorge.
Barton will have the job of mending Rio’s reputation in the communities where it operates, particularly in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, home to its giant ore operations. The fallout from Rio’s actions at Juukan Gorge in that region in May 2020 led to the departure of former Chief Executive Officer Jean-Sebastien Jacques and other senior executives.
READ: Rio Chair to Exit After Failings on Aboriginal Site Blasts
Barton’s experience in Beijing will be welcomed at Rio, which generates the bulk of its revenue from ore sales to China’s steelmakers. He also has more than 30 years of experience at consulting firm McKinsey & Co. and has served as chairman of global mining company Teck Resources Ltd. He will take over from Thompson on May 5.
Barton will bring the skills and experience Rio needs, CEO Jakob Stausholm said in a statement, including “his wealth of experience across Asia in both a business and diplomatic capacity.”
Stausholm, who was appointed last December and has reshuffled top management, has said he wants to re-establish the company as a trusted partner for host communities. Still, the company faces local opposition to major growth projects in Arizona, Mongolia and Serbia.
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