Globetrotting BHP boss Mike Henry has soft spot for Brisbane

Mike Henry, the globetrotting boss of mining giant BHP, has a soft spot for Brisbane after spending time in the river city during a crucial time in his career.

BHP chief executive Mike Henry at BHP’s annual general meeting in Brisbane. Photo by Luke Marsden

Mike Henry loves Brisbane. The globetrotting boss of mining giant BHP tells your diarist he spent a couple of years in the river city while helping to set up the BHP Mitsubishi Alliance in the early 2000s. “I lived at a couple of places including Kenmore Hills and Newstead,” the Canadian-born mining executive said on the sidelines of the BHP annual general meeting in Brisbane earlier this week.

Henry now lives in Melbourne, but we hear Brisbane still holds a special place in his heart. No word on whether that love will extend to buying up any property in town.

With an annual salary in excess of $10m, he could certainly afford some flashy digs.

One shareholder at the AGM was unkind enough to point out that was more than 100 times the average Australian salary. Henry responded that the level of his remuneration was for “others to make the call on.”

“That’s a separate issue from whether the underlying business, or the underlying industry, remains competitive, and there’s a generally held principle which I think is played through all industries and all economies, that at the end of the day, productivity matters,” he says. “We’ve always been strong supporters of higher wages when they’re accompanied by improvements in productivity.”

BHP exceeded expectations for the 2024 fiscal year, reporting an underlying net profit of $US13.7bn ($20.2bn), up from an estimated $US13.5bn.

BHP Mike Henry with the board in Brisbane. Photo by Luke Marsden

Top security

BHP can thank the caravanning industry for curtailing protests at the AGM. Access to the Brisbane International Convention Centre where the meeting was being held was blocked off by the set up for the The Let’s Go Brisbane Caravan & Outdoor Sale being held in the adjacent Ekka grounds. That meant anyone attempting to access the meeting had to walk down a narrow corridor guarded by a small army of security guards. Protesters, which included climate activists and a contingent of bagpipe playing unionists were kept well away.

Travel gongs

Congratulations to Flight Centre Travel Group and its independent affiliates which took home a swag of awards at the Australian Travel Industry Association’s (ATIA) national awards last week. Flight Centre’s luxury brand Travel Associates took out most outstanding branded travel agency while Flight Centre Broadmeadows’ Rosie Loxley was awarded most outstanding travel agency manager. Independent agencies affiliated with FCTG brands Envoyage, Link Travel Group and the Luxury Travel Collection also secured five awards. Flight Centre Travel Group managing director for Australia James Kavanagh says the recognition is testament to the diversity of the company’s brands and people.

Flight Centre’s James Kavanagh.

Ship ahoy

There is a new sales and business team at the helm of Gold Coast luxury boat builder Maritimo. Danny Jordin has been appointed to the role of Australasian sales manager while Sean Savage and Paul Savage are the brand’s new business development managers.

Jordin replaces long-time sales manager Ormonde Britton, who is retiring, while

the BMS Sanctuary Cove Marina consultancy will remain, representing Maritimo

in southeast Queensland. “This restructuring is a pivotal moment for Maritimo and one that will set the business on a new trajectory,” says Maritmo founder and chief executive Bill Barry-Cotter. “Danny has been in the boating industry for 20 years, specialising in marketing

and sales for Australian-made trailer boats. Sean and Paul grew up running their

family dealership in Victoria. More importantly, they all live and breathe the

boating lifestyle with their families.”

Maritimo Luxury motor yachts.

Originally published as Globetrotting BHP boss Mike Henry has soft spot for Brisbane