Perth: International mining corporation Rio Tinto has announced that the company’s Chief Executive Sam Walsh will be retiring on 1 July 2016. Rio Tinto’s Copper & Coal division’s Chief Executive Jean-Sébastien Jacques, has been chosen to take over from Walsh, and in the interim will join the board and become deputy Chief Executive with immediate effect.

Jacques, who has served on Rio Tinto’s executive committee for over three years, has international experience in a wide range of operational and functional positions in the aluminium, bauxite and steel industries. He also served as group strategy director for Tata Steel Group from 2007 to 2011.

Commenting on the appointment, Rio Tinto chairman Jan du Plessis said, “Jean-Sébastien is a very experienced executive with a demonstrated track record and brings a unique blend of strategic and operational expertise. He has run complex operations and projects across five commodities and five continents. J-S is a highly-regarded leader who shares Rio Tinto’s strong values and has embraced its culture.”