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Eric Johnston is an associate editor of The Australian. He has more than 25 years experience as a finance journalist, including a former business editor of The Australian. He has been business editor of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age and financial services editor with The Australian Financial Review. His work has also appeared in The Wall Street Journal.

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Workers walk through a tunnel in the underground portion of the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine, jointly owned by Rio Tinto Group's Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd. unit and state-owned Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi LLC, in Khanbogd, the South Gobi desert, Mongolia, on Monday, March 13, 2023. Rio has begun digging copper from the underground project of its prized mine in Mongolia — an expansion that will turn the operation into one of the world’s largest — after years of delays, cost blow-outs and billion-dollar disputes with the country’s government. Photographer: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg

Mongolian political storm changes calculus for Rio’s CEO search

A political scandal in Mongolia could have implications for one of Rio Tinto’s prized mines as well as its hunt for a new chief executive.

Eric Johnston

CommentaryCompanies

The vertical stabilisers of a Qantas Boeing B737-838 plane, registration VH-VZQ, and a Virgin Australia Boeing B737-8FE plane, registration VH-VUZ, waiting at the northern end of the main runway of Sydney Kingsford-Smith Airport in preparation for departure. The Qantas plane is heading to Adelaide as flight QF741 and the Virgin plane is heading to Adelaide as flight VA428. In the background is another Virgin B737-8FE plane. This image was taken from Nigel Love Bridge, Mascot on a sunny afternoon on 3 December 2023.Escape 9 February 2025Cover storyPhoto - iStock

Born again Virgin wants to be a real Qantas rival

The airline’s private equity backers have been smart enough to structure Virgin’s blockbuster float in a way to give it the best chance to battle its bigger rival.

Eric Johnston

CommentaryBusiness

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos NOVEMBER 30, 2022: Chairman of Soul Pattinson Rob Millner and CEO of Soul Pattinson Todd Barlow pictured at the office in Sydney.Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

Why Project Hawk finally took off for Soul Patts

The creation of the ASX’s newest conglomerate, codenamed Project Hawk by its makers, was decades in the making. But the real challenge will now be making all the different parts work.

Eric Johnston

CommentaryCompanies

President Donald Trump speaks at U.S. Steel Corporation's Mon Valley Works-Irvin plant, Friday, May 30, 2025, in West Mifflin, Pa. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Trump’s steel threat might be hot air, but damage is already done

Australia again will be hit in the crossfire of Donald Trump’s latest trade war missive. However, faced with reality the question arises whether the US President sees his latest threat through.

Eric Johnston

CommentaryCompanies

27-05-2025 - Telstra CEO Vicki Brady at Telstra's investor day in Sydney

Our politicians don’t have a monopoly on nation building

This low-profile, but ambitious, project has the potential to transform the economy. And there’s not a politician in sight.

Eric Johnston

CommentaryCompanies

FILE - Elon Musk arrives to speak at an indoor Presidential Inauguration parade event in Washington, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

A 40-hour work week for Musk would be getting off lightly

The working week of chief executives is rarely defined, but big investors have taken aim at the Tesla boss for going missing.

Eric Johnston

CommentaryCompanies

14/3/24: New Myer executive chairman Olivia Wirth at the Sydney store. John Feder/The Australian.

Data and loyalty: The secret behind Myer’s reinvention

All Myer needed was purpose and the retailer’s boss, Olivia Wirth, has a plan to do just that.

Eric Johnston

AnalysisCompanies

‘Network is king’: Inside Telstra CEO’s new growth pitch

Vicki Brady is betting the house on the telco’s extensive network, declaring it will be the hero behind 6G mobile, AI and autonomous driving.

Eric Johnston

CommentaryCompanies

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA -NewsWirePhotos- MARCH 12, 2025: Healthscope is preparing for sale just weeks after coming under scrutiny following the death of a two-year-old boy at one of their NSW hospitals. A Healthscope spokesperson confirmed the company had entered into

‘Ruthless’ Brookfield bet big and lost it all on Healthscope

The hospital operator’s ills come down to financial engineering and Canberra is right to hold firm over any bailout.

Eric Johnston

CommentaryCompanies

Debt is no longer a dirty word for Aussie business

After years of scrimping and saving, corporate Australia is again borrowing up big. There’s a good reason why.

Eric Johnston

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/eric-johnston/page/4