Our Board

See below for qualification abbreviations.

Don Argus AO, SF FIN, FCPA

Term of office:

Director of BHP Limited since November 1996 and Chairman since April 1999. Chairman of BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc since June 2001. Mr Argus is standing for re-election at the 2008 Annual General Meetings.

Independent:

Yes

Skills and experience:

Don Argus has considerable experience in international business and a strong management background. He has more than 40 years’ experience in the banking industry and is a former Managing Director and CEO of the National Australia Bank Limited.

Other directorships and offices (current and recent):

Director of Australian Foundation Investment Company Limited (since May 1999)
Former Chairman of Brambles Limited (from September 1999 to February 2008) and a Director (from May 1999 to February 2008)
Member of the International Advisory Council of Allianz Aktiengesellschaft (since April 2000)
Member of International Advisory Committee to the New York Stock Exchange Board of Directors (since November 2005)

Board Committee membership:

Chairman of the Nomination Committee

Marius Kloppers BE (Chem), MBA, PhD (Materials Science)


Term of office:: Director of BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc since January 2006. Mr Kloppers was appointed Chief Executive Officer on 1 October 2007. He was appointed Group President Non-Ferrous Materials and executive Director in January 2006 and was previously Chief Commercial Officer. Mr Kloppers was elected in 2006.
Independent:: No
Skills and experience:: Marius Kloppers has extensive knowledge of the mining industry and of BHP Billiton’s operations. Active in the mining and resources industry since 1993, he was appointed Chief Commercial Officer in December 2003. He was previously Chief Marketing Officer, Group Executive of Billiton Plc, Chief Executive of Samancor Manganese and held various positions at Billiton Aluminium, including Chief Operating Officer and General Manager of Hillside Aluminium.
Other directorships and offices (current and recent):: None
Board Committee membership:: None

Paul Anderson B S (Mech Eng), MBA

Term of office:

Appointed a non-executive Director of BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc on 26 April 2006 with effect from 6 June 2006. He was the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of BHP Limited from December 1998 until June 2001 and of BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc from June 2001 until July 2002. He was a non-executive Director of BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc from July to November 2002. Mr Anderson is standing for re-election at the 2008 Annual General Meetings.

Independent:

Yes

Skills and experience:

Paul Anderson has an extensive background in natural resources and energy and, as one of the architects of the merger that created BHP Billiton, has a deep understanding of the strategy behind the Group’s success. He is Chairman of Spectra Energy Corporation and retired as Chairman of Duke Energy Corporation in January 2007 where he had more than 20 years’ experience at Duke Energy and its predecessors.

Other directorships and offices (current and recent):

Chairman of Spectra Energy Corporation (since January 2007)
Former Director of Qantas Airways Limited (from September 2002 to April 2008)
Former Chairman of Duke Energy Corporation (from November 2003 to January 2007) and former Chief Executive Officer (from November 2003 to April 2006)
Former Director of Temple Inland Inc. (from February 2002 to May 2004)
Member of the US President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology

Board Committee membership:

Member of the Sustainability Committee

Alan Boeckmann BE (Electrical Eng)

Term of office:

Director of BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc since September 2008. Mr Boeckmann will seek election at the 2008 Annual General Meetings.

Independent:

Yes

Skills and experience:

Alan Boeckmann is currently Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fluor Corporation, USA, having originally joined Fluor in 1974. He holds non-executive directorships with Archer Daniels Midland and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation. Mr Boeckmann has extensive experience in running large-scale international industrial companies and experience in the oil and gas industry. He has global experience in engineering, procurement, construction, maintenance and project management across a range of industries, including resources and petroleum.

Other directorships and offices (current and recent):

Chairman and CEO of Fluor Corporation (since February 2002)
Director of Archer Daniels Midland Company (from November 2007 to November 2008)
Director of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation (since September 2001)

Board Committee membership:

None

John Buchanan BSc, MSc (Hons 1), PhD

Term of office:

Director of BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc since February 2003. Dr Buchanan has been designated as the Senior Independent Director of BHP Billiton Plc since his appointment. Dr Buchanan is standing for re-election at the 2008 Annual General Meetings.

Independent:

Yes

Skills and experience:

Educated at Auckland, Oxford and Harvard, John Buchanan has had a wide international business career gained in large and complex international businesses. He has substantial experience in the petroleum industry, and knowledge of the international investor community. He has held various leadership roles in strategic, financial, operational and marketing positions, including executive experience in different countries. He is a former executive director and Group CFO of BP, serving on the BP Board for six years.

Other directorships and offices (current and recent):

Chairman of Smith & Nephew Plc (since April 2006) and Former Deputy Chairman (from February 2005 to April 2006)
Chairman of ICC UK (since May 2008)
Director of AstraZeneca Plc (since April 2002)
Senior Independent Director and Deputy Chairman of Vodafone Group Plc (since July 2006) and Director (since April 2003)

Board Committee membership:

Chairman of the Remuneration Committee
Member of the Nomination Committee

Carlos Cordeiro AB, MBA

Term of office:

Director of BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc since February 2005. Mr Cordeiro was last re-elected in 2007.

Independent:

Yes

Skills and experience:

Carlos Cordeiro brings to the Board more than 25 years’ experience in providing strategic and financial advice to corporations, financial institutions and governments around the world. He was previously Partner and Managing Director of Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

Other directorships and offices (current and recent):

Non-executive Advisory Director of The Goldman Sachs Group Inc (since December 2001)
Non-executive Vice Chairman of Goldman Sachs (Asia) (since December 2001)

Board Committee membership:

Member of the Remuneration Committee

David Crawford BComm, LLB, FCA, FCPA, FAICD

Term of office:

Director of BHP Limited since May 1994. Director of BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc since June 2001. Mr Crawford is standing for re-election at the 2008 Annual General Meetings.

Independent:

Yes

Skills and experience:

David Crawford has extensive experience in risk management and business reorganisation. He has acted as a consultant, scheme manager, receiver and manager and liquidator to very large and complex groups of companies. He was previously Australian National Chairman of KPMG, Chartered Accountants. The Board has nominated Mr Crawford as the financial expert of the Risk and Audit Committee for the purposes of the US Securities and Exchange Commission Rules, and is satisfied that he has recent and relevant financial experience for the purposes of the UK Listing Authority’s Combined Code.

Other directorships and offices (current and recent):

Chairman of Lend Lease Corporation Limited (since May 2003) and Director (since July 2001)
Chairman of Foster’s Group Limited (since November 2007) and Director of Foster’s Group Limited (since August 2001)
Former Director of Westpac Banking Corporation (from May 2002 to December 2007)
Former Chairman of National Foods Limited (Director from November 2001 to June 2005)

Board Committee membership:

Chairman of the Risk and Audit Committee

Gail de Planque AB (Mathematics), MS (Physics), PhD (Env Health Sciences)

Term of office:

Director of BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc since 19 October 2005. The Hon. E. Gail de Planque was last re-elected in 2007.

Independent:

Yes

Skills and experience:

Gail de Planque is an expert in nuclear technology and has over 40 years’ experience as a physicist, adviser and regulator in the field of nuclear energy. She also has significant experience as a non-executive director of global energy companies and is a consultant on atomic energy matters. She is a former Commissioner of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, a former Director of the Environmental Measurements Laboratory of the US Department of Energy, a Fellow and former President of the American Nuclear Society, a fellow of the American Association of the Advancement of Science and a Member of the US National Academy of Engineering.

Other directorships and offices (current and recent):

Director of Northeast Utilities (since October 1995)
Director of Energy Solutions, Inc (since November 2007)
President of Strategy Matters Inc (since March 2000)
Director of Energy Strategists Consultancy Ltd (since May 1999)
Former Director of TXU Corporation (from February 2004 to February 2007)
Former Director of BNFL Plc (from November 2000 to March 2005) and of BNG America Inc (from March 1995 to March 2006)
Former Director of Landauer Inc (from December 2001 to June 2008)

Board Committee membership:

Member of the Sustainability Committee
Member of the Remuneration Committee

David Jenkins BA, PhD (Geology)

Term of office:

Director of BHP Limited since March 2000. Director of BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc since June 2001. Dr Jenkins was last re-elected in 2007.

Independent:

Yes

Skills and experience:

David Jenkins is a recognised authority on oil and gas technology. He was previously Chief Geologist, Director Technology and Chief Technology Advisor to BP Plc. He was also a member of the Technology Advisory Committee of the Halliburton Company and the Advisory Council of Consort Resources and Chairman of the Energy Advisory Panel of Science Applications International Corporation.

Other directorships and offices (current and recent):

Director of Chartwood Resources Ltd (since November 1998)
Director Mintaka International (Oil & Gas) Limited (previously Orion International (Oil & Gas) Ltd) (since March 2005)
Director of Orion International Petroleum Limited (previously Director of Orion International Petroleum (Gibraltar) Limited) (since June 2007)
Director of Orion Sangaw North Limited (since July 2008)

Board Committee membership:

Member of the Remuneration Committee
Member of the Risk and Audit Committee

David Morgan BEc, MSc, PhD

Term of office:

Director of BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc since January 2008. Dr Morgan is standing for election at the 2008 Annual General Meetings.

Independent:

Yes

Skills and experience:

David Morgan was the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Westpac Banking Corporation from March 1999 until January 2008. He has extensive experience in the financial sector, having worked in the International Monetary Fund in Washington DC in the 1970s and the Australian Federal Treasury in the 1980s where he headed all major areas before being appointed Senior Deputy Secretary. Dr Morgan joined Westpac in 1990 where he had responsibility for all major operating divisions including, Westpac Financial Services, Retail Banking, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Institutional Banking and International Banking.

Other directorships and offices (current and recent):

Chairman J C Flowers & Co. Australia (since June 2008)
Former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Westpac Banking Corporation (from March 1999 to January 2008)
Former Chairman of Westpac New Zealand Limited (from September 2006 to December 2007)
Former Director of Westpac New Zealand Limited (from September 2006 to January 2008)
Former Member of Australian Bankers’ Association, Business Council of Australia, ASIC Business Consultative Panel and International Monetary Conference (from March 1999 to January 2008)

Board Committee membership:

Member of the Risk & Audit Committee

Jacques Nasser AO, BBus, Hon DT

Term of office:

Appointed a non-executive Director of BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc on 26 April 2006 with effect from 6 June 2006. Mr Nasser is standing for re-election at the 2008 Annual General Meetings.

Independent:

Yes

Skills and experience:

Following a 33 year career with Ford in various leadership positions in Europe, Australia, Asia, South America and the US, Jacques Nasser served as a member of the Board of Directors and as President and Chief Executive Officer of Ford Motor Company from 1998 to 2001. He has more than 30 years’ experience in large-scale global businesses.

Other directorships and offices (current and recent):

Director of British Sky Broadcasting Ltd (since November 2002)
Partner of One Equity Partners (since November 2002)
Member of the International Advisory Council of Allianz Aktiengesellschaft (since February 2001)
Former Chairman of Polaroid Corporation (from November 2002 to April 2005)
Former Director of Quintiles Transnational Corporation (from March 2004 to November 2007)
Former Director of Brambles Limited (from March 2004 to January 2008)

Board Committee membership:

Member of the Risk and Audit Committee

Keith Rumble BSc, MSc (Geochemistry)

Term of office:

Director of BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc since September 2008. Mr Rumble will seek election at the 2008 Annual General Meetings.

Independent:

Yes

Skills and experience:

Keith was until recently Chief Executive Officer of SUN Mining, a wholly-owned entity of the Sun Group, a principal investor and private equity fund manager in Russia, India and other emerging and transforming markets. He has over 30 years' experience in the resources industry, specifically in titanium and platinum mining, and is a former CEO of Impala Platinum (Pty) Ltd and former CEO of Rio Tinto Iron and Titanium Inc. He began his career at Richards Bay Minerals in 1980, and held various management positions, before becoming CEO in 1996.

Other directorships and offices (current and recent):

Board of Governors of Rhodes University (since 2005) and Michaelhouse College (since 2002)
Trustee of the World Wildlife Fund, South Africa (since 2006)

Board Committee membership:

None

John Schubert BCh Eng, PhD (Chem Eng), FIEAust, FTSE

Term of office:

Director of BHP Limited since June 2000 and a Director of BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc since June 2001. Dr Schubert is standing for re-election at the 2008 Annual General Meetings.

Independent:

Yes

Skills and experience:

John Schubert has considerable experience in the international oil industry, including at CEO level. He has had executive mining and financial responsibilities and was CEO of Pioneer International Limited for six years, where he operated in the building materials industry in 16 countries. He has experience in mergers, acquisitions and divestments, project analysis and management. He was previously Chairman and Managing Director of Esso Australia Limited and President of the Business Council of Australia.

Other directorships and offices (current and recent):

Chairman of Commonwealth Bank of Australia (since November 2004) and Director (since October 1991)
Director of Qantas Airways Limited (since October 2000)
Chairman of G2 Therapies Limited (since November 2000)
Former Chairman and Director of Worley Parsons Limited (from November 2002 until February 2005)

Board Committee membership:

Chairman of the Sustainability Committee
Member of the Nomination Committee

Jane McAloon (Group Company Secretary) BEc (Hons), LLB, GDipGov, FCIS


Term of office:: Jane McAloon was appointed Group Company Secretary in July 2007 and joined the BHP Billiton Group in September 2006 as Company Secretary for BHP Billiton Limited.
Skills and experience:: Prior to joining BHP Billiton, Jane McAloon held the position of Company Secretary and Group Manager External and Regulatory Services in the Australian Gas Light Company. She previously held various State and Commonwealth government positions, including Director General of the NSW Ministry of Energy and Utilities and Deputy Director General for the NSW Cabinet Office, as well as working in private legal practice. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries.

Qualification Abbreviations

AO: Officer of the Order of Australia
AB/BA: Bachelor of Arts
B.Bus: Bachelor of Business
BComm: Bachelor of Commerce
BEc: Bachelor of Economics
BE: Bachelor of Engineering
B S (Mech Eng): Bachelor of Science (Mechanical Engineering)
BSc: Bachelor of Science
FAICD: Fellow Australian Institute of Company Directors
FCA: Fellow Institute of Chartered Accountants
FCPA: Fellow Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants
FIEAust: Fellow Institution of Engineers, Australia
FTSE: Fellow Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering
Hon DT: Honorary Doctorate of Technology
LLB: Bachelor of Laws
MBA: Master of Business Administration
MSc: Master of Science
SF Fin: Senior Fellow Finance