Melbourne, March 11, 2026, 08:41 AEDT.
Geraldine Slattery, BHP Group Ltd’s Australia President, is suddenly at the heart of not one but two high-profile CEO succession talks. The Australian, on March 11, flagged her as a frontrunner inside BHP to take over from Chief Executive Mike Henry down the line. Just days before, Reuters reported (March 8) that Slattery’s name is also circulating as a candidate for the open CEO spot at Woodside Energy.
This is significant at the moment, with Slattery overseeing BHP’s Australia division—covering iron ore, copper, nickel, and coal. A departure here would disrupt one of BHP’s top operating posts, right as the miner sharpens its focus on copper growth. The next quarterly production numbers land April 22.
Woodside isn’t saying anything about the speculation, but the company has set plans to name a permanent CEO in the first quarter of 2026. According to Reuters, acting CEO Liz Westcott is in the mix with two other internal candidates. The West, reporting March 11, said interviews had started.
BHP hasn’t responded publicly to the most recent round of succession talk. Back in May 2025, Reuters reported that BHP’s internal talent pool ran deeper than Rio Tinto’s. The report put Slattery, along with CFO Vandita Pant, at the top of the internal contenders list. Investors, it noted, were fans of Slattery’s operational track record—especially after her stint running BHP’s petroleum division.
Who takes the helm at BHP is up in the air—and it couldn’t come at a trickier moment for the miner. Back in February, BHP reported a 22% jump in first-half underlying attributable profit, hitting $6.2 billion. Copper, for the first time, made up 51% of operating earnings, nudging past iron ore.
Mike Henry leaned on that update to make BHP’s priorities clear. “Growth in copper and potash” is on the agenda, he said. Portfolio and asset management, he added, have the potential to free up as much as $10 billion in value. BHP
Rio Tinto wrapped up its transition last year, handing the CEO role to insider Simon Trott. BHP, though, hasn’t settled its succession plan yet—a live question as major miners chase fresh copper supplies.
Back in January, MST Marquee analyst Saul Kavonic told the Australian Financial Review that Woodside’s incoming CEO might require “a more commercial background.” That lines up with Slattery’s resume—she led BHP’s petroleum unit before the merger with Woodside. Australian Financial Review
Still, things could change fast. Woodside might tap someone from inside, Slattery might remain at BHP, and with iron ore negotiations in China heating up—not to mention major outlays in potash and copper—BHP’s board may opt for a slower approach.
Succession has surged back into focus for BHP, after recent reporting reignited debate over its leadership. Copper, now outstripping iron ore in profit, has shifted the stakes for whoever steps in next—and the impact will stretch far past Melbourne.
