Rio Tinto fired the former head of its aluminium division, Ivan Vella, on Wednesday with immediate effect due to his “failure” to properly manage confidential information, according to the mining giant, which is investigating the fallout from the breach.

Mr Vella, who worked his way to the top ranks of Rio Tinto over two decades in Australia, Mongolia and Canada, was set to leave the company next month to become the chief executive of ASX-listed Australian battery minerals producer IGO.