It was a telling garnish on the whole sorry affair: three days into The Australian’s exposure of Rio Tinto’s Orwellian “dynamic discounting” program screwing its suppliers, the miner’s chief commercial officer Simon Trott was, well, trotted out to front the grovelling backdown. Group chief executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques exhibited his kind of leadership from the distant rear. In no way is the man more French than in his truancy of character.

Rio’s behaviour under Jacques gives rise to its increasing isolation.