BHP’s Dalla Valle to exit after 40 years

The CCO, who has overseen BHP Billiton’s Samarco response, will exit after 40 years with the miner.

BHP Billiton chief operating officer Dean Dalla Valle Picture: Norm Oorloff.

Longstanding BHP Billiton senior executive Dean Dalla Valle will step down in March, 40 years after he joined the miner as an apprentice electrician.

Mr Dalla Valle, the Wollongong-born son of an Italian immigrant labourer who also worked for BHP, is currently BHP’s chief commercial officer and has been overseeing the response to the Samarco disaster in Brazil, where 19 people died when the tailings dam burst last November.

Chief executive Andrew Mackenzie said Mr Dalla Valle would be missed.

“Dean Dalla Valle is one of the longest serving and most respected leaders at BHP Billiton,” chief executive Andrew Mackenzie said.

“His deep knowledge of operations, strong commercial judgement and

leadership have made a major contribution to our company over four decades.”

Samarco will now come under the management of BHP’s Americas mining boss Danny Malchuk, following a review that recommended housing the company’s stakes in assets run by joint venture companies in one unit.

Samarco is a 50-50 joint venture between BHP and Brazil’s Vale, operated by a separate joint venture company.

Mr Dalla Valle had been seen as a potential successor to Mr Mackenzie.

But an executive reshuffle earlier this year made chief financial officer Peter Beaven and Australia mining boss Mike Henry clear lead contenders.

The shift comes as programs to clean up and remedy the damage from Samarco are largely put in place.

It is understood Mr Dalla Valle does not plan to retire from executive life and will pursue other opportunities.