BHP moves some execs ahead of Goodyear retirement

SYDNEY, July 11 - BHP Billiton Ltd./Plc. on Wednesday said it had rejigged some of its senior management team ahead of the retirement of its chief executive Chip Goodyear on Oct. 1. Effective immediately, Graeme Hunt, president of the company's aluminium division, shifts to become president of the newly created Uranium and Olympic Dam development arm, incoming chief executive Marius Kloppers said in a statement. BHP plans to separate the Olympic Dam copper, uranium and gold complex from the rest of the base metals division, the statement said. "The separation reflects the importance of both the asset and the expansion project in BHP Billiton's project pipeline and is recognition of the growing market for uranium to help meet the world's energy needs," it said. Nelson Silva, president of strategy, development and South American operations for aluminium, will succeed Hunt as president of the division, the statement said.