Fortescue’s radical green reinvention triggered the exit of departing chief executive Fiona Hick, who faced a choice to “get on the bus, or get off the bus”, according to executive chairman Andrew Forrest.

Ms Hick quit Fortescue on Sunday after just six months in the top job because she wasn’t willing to go along with Dr Forrest’s agenda, specifically, achieving zero emissions in its mining operations and its big bets on green hydrogen, the billionaire claimed. Three days ago, the company told shareholders her exit was “both friendly and mutual”.