BHP Billiton confirmed today that it had disbanded BCAP, a group within BHP Billiton Corporate Development, as part of a range of internal initiatives foreshadowed in the ‘Corporate Excellence’ announcement issued in late May this year.

The initiatives are consistent with the Strategic Framework and are aimed at simplifying BHP Billiton’s corporate structure and processes, improving the focus on the Group’s core activities and on a small number of other key initiatives, and entrenching operational excellence through the BHP Billiton Way program.

As a consequence of the disbanding of BCAP, a number of activities and projects that formed part of the division have also been terminated. As previously foreshadowed, the BHP Billiton Investment Group (BBIG) $US 40 million venture capital fund has been terminated together with ‘Yellow’, a brand leverage initiative, while the Aurias retail diamond brand will be absorbed into BHP Billiton’s existing Diamonds business activities.

Lindsey Hughson, head of the ‘Yellow’ initiative, has left BHP Billiton and has indicated he will launch the ‘Yellow. A division of Blue.’ business externally as a brand strategy and communications consultancy later this year.