DJ BHP Billiton Says Planning For CEO Kloppers Successor 

DJ BHP Billiton Says Planning For CEO Kloppers Successor

Nov 06, 2012 (Dow Jones Commodities News via Comtex) --By Rhiannon Hoyle

SYDNEY--BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP) Wednesday said the world's largest mining company by market value is planning for a successor to chief executive, Marius Kloppers.

"BHP Billiton's board has always ensured that it has a well-integrated, continual succession process in place for our most senior executives," a BHP Billiton spokesperson said in an emailed statement. "This well-established planning process has worked effectively for many years and delivered a track record of smooth succession at the group management committee level," the person added.

The response from BHP follows a report in the Financial Times newspaper that the company was actively seeking to replace Mr. Kloppers within the next two years.

The spokesperson from BHP declined comment on the timeframe for replacing Mr. Kloppers.

Write to Rhiannon Hoyle at rhiannon.hoyle@wsj.com

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11-06-12 1748ET

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