BHP Billiton announced today that it has appointed Peter Beaven as President, Base Metals, effective from 1 November 2010. Until that date Mr. Ivan Arriagada will continue as acting President.

Mr. Beaven is currently President of the Manganese CSG and has been in this role since October 2005 and prior to that was Vice President & CDO Carbon Steel Materials.

He has been with the Company for more than 10 years with an interruption of 3 years when he was Executive Director, in charge of Australasian Resources for UBS Warburg in Melbourne, Australia.

Mr. Beaven holds a Bachelor of Accountancy from University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa and is a Chartered Accountant.

BHP Billiton Group Management Committee today welcomed Mr. Beaven to the position.

"Peter's wide experiences across a range of regions and businesses will be of great value in the leadership of Base Metals, whose headquarters are based in Chile. He will also work enhancing BHP Billiton's reputation of being Chile's best partner" said BHP Billiton's President Non Ferrous, Mr. Andrew Mackenzie.

Mr. Beaven and his family will relocate from Johannesburg to Santiago de Chile.