Rio Tinto has a new battery materials boss charged with helping to deliver on the iron ore major’s push into lithium, a move which is spread across five continents.

Elias Scafidas will take over as Rio’s managing director of battery materials from the start of next year after playing key roles in the company’s recent copper joint ventures, and in bringing the $US23.2 billion ($35.2 billion) Simandou iron ore project to life.