Chief transformation officer Jonathan Price to leave BHP as internal shake-up continues

Rising star Jonathan Price is the latest senior BHP executive to quit with an internal shake-up in full swing.

CEO-elect Mike Henry. Picture: Aaron Francis

The internal shake-up ahead of Mike Henry’s ascension to the top job at BHP is in full swing, with rising star Jonathon Price the latest senior executive to quit the company.

Mr Price was appointed as BHP’s chief transformation officer by outgoing boss Andrew Mackenzie 18 months ago and joined the company’s executive leadership team early this year, and was seen by some as a future chief financial officer or even CEO candidate.

But the 14-year BHP veteran has joined chief technology officer Diane Jurgens in quitting the company, citing family reasons, and will leave BHP in the middle of 2020 after completing a restructure of his own office, as Mr Henry’s operations-centric vision for the company takes shape.

Mr Price’s 200-strong team has led BHP’s push to streamline its activities, give operating staff greater control of their workplace, and make automation a core part of its strategy.

His team will now be absorbed into the assets and functional areas in which they currently sit, as BHP tells its general managers and divisional bosses to make transformation a part of their ordinary work.

Mr Mackenzie paid tribute to the outgoing transformation chief — who had also worked across the company’s nickel, marketing, iron ore and finance sections — saying his departure would be a loss for BHP.

“He has a track record of delivery, innovation, effective change management and commitment to our agenda for gender balance and inclusion and diversity,” he said.

“Jonathan’s departure will be a loss for BHP, but we respect his decision and wish him and his family every success for the future.”

While well regarded at BHP, a lack of recent experience in running any of BHP’s major operations could be a factor that limited Mr Price’s chances of remaining on his new boss’ executive committee, given Mr Henry has already flagged an asset-centric approach to his regime.

In November, when taking the job, Mr Henry told reporters he expected to outline his initial thoughts on the structure of the company under his leadership at its February half-year results – but the announcement of the departures of two of his predecessor’s executive leadership committee could step up that time frame.

In addition to Mr Price and Ms Jurgens, questions still remain over the future of former contenders for the top job, including chief financial officer Peter Beaven, and BHP Americas boss Danny Malchuk, along with speculation chief external affairs officer Geoff Healy may also be considering a move.

Likely winners from any reshuffle include Ms Jurgen’s temporary successor, Rag Udd – who was Mr Henry’s second in command at Queensland coal, and current coal boss James Palmer.