BHP Group plc (LON:BHP) Chair, Ken MacKenzie, has announced the appointment of Christine O’Reilly to the BHP Board as an independent Non-executive Director, effective 12 October 2020.
Ms O’Reilly has broad strategic, financial and operational experience from her extensive executive and non-executive roles across diverse industries. Ms O’Reilly is currently a Non-executive Director of Stockland Limited, Medibank Private Limited, Transurban Group and CSL Limited. She will retire from the Boards of Transurban Group and CSL Limited at the conclusion of each of their 2020 Annual General Meetings. She was previously a Non-executive Director of Energy Australia Holdings Limited.
Ms O’Reilly’s executive career included 30 years’ experience in both financial and operational entities, including as the Chief Executive Officer of the GasNet Australia Group and as Co-Head of Unlisted Infrastructure Investments at Colonial First State Global Asset Management.
Ms O’Reilly will also become a member of the Risk and Audit Committee and the Remuneration Committee, effective 12 October 2020.
After the BHP Annual General Meetings, the BHP Board will comprise 12 Directors – 11 Non-executive Directors and one Executive Director.
Christine O‘Reilly
Ms O’Reilly, 59, has extensive executive and non-executive experience across diverse industries. Her executive career included 30 years’ experience in both financial and operational entities.
Following an early career in chartered accounting and eight years of experience in investment banking, Ms O’Reilly held operational leadership roles, before being appointed as the Chief Executive Officer and a Director of the GasNet Australia Group, from 2001 to 2006. From 2007 until 2012, Ms O’Reilly was Co-Head of Unlisted Infrastructure Investments at Colonial First State Global Asset Management.
Ms O’Reilly has non-executive experience in a number of sectors including infrastructure, property, private health insurance, energy and medical research. She is a Non-executive Director of CSL Limited, Stockland Limited, Medibank Private Limited, Transurban Group and Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, and was previously a Non-executive Director of Energy Australia Holdings Limited (from 2012 to 2018). Ms O’Reilly will retire from the Boards of Transurban Group and CSL Limited at the conclusion of each of their 2020 Annual General Meetings.
Ms O’Reilly qualified as a Chartered Accountant and has a Bachelor of Business from the Western Australian Institute of Technology (now Curtin University).
Mr MacKenzie said Ms O’Reilly’s appointment reflected the Board’s commitment to a continuous, structured and rigorous approach to Board succession and planning and this appointment is based on the balance of attributes, skills, experience, diversity and tenure necessary for the Board to govern BHP Group effectively.
“We are delighted that Christine will be joining our Board. Christine’s extensive executive and non-executive experience in financial and operational roles, and her wide range of skills will help to strengthen the Board’s experience and expertise. She will bring deep financial and public policy expertise, as well as valuable insight and experience in large scale capital projects and transformational strategy.”
