BHP Steel announces new President for New Zealand

BHP Steel announces new President for New Zealand Steel

BHP Steel Limited today announced Mr Bill Jacob will succeed Mr Cyril Benjamin as President New Zealand Steel, effective 1 April, 2003. Mr Jacob will report to BHP Steel's President Industrial Markets Mr Lance Hockridge.

Managing Director and CEO, BHP Steel, Mr Kirby Adams said: “Mr Jacob has strong international experience accompanied with a sales and marketing background in the flat products steel business. He brings with him a broad range of experiences, principally in the North American steel industry, that are a good match with the role, responsibilities and challenges facing New Zealand Steel.”

Most recently, Mr Jacob held the role of Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer with ADS Logistics, the largest provider of integrated logistics services to the metals industry in the United States. Prior to that he held senior roles with Duferco Farrell Corporation, a flat products steel producer; and from 1976-1999 held a range of sales and marketing roles with LTV Steel Company.

Outgoing President New Zealand Steel, Mr Cyril Benjamin, will be returning to a role in Australia with BHP Steel at the end of March, prior to his intended retirement at the end of 2003.

Mr Adams said: “ In the almost four years that Cyril has led New Zealand Steel he has earned broad respect in the New Zealand business community. Cyril has steered New Zealand Steel through some difficult times and can depart knowing he has left the business in good shape.”

New Zealand Steel

New Zealand Steel operates a steel plant at Glenbrook, south of Auckland, on New Zealand’s North Island, producing a full range of flat steel products for both domestic and export markets. It operates at an annual crude steel production rate of approximately 600,000 tonnes. New Zealand Steel exports more than half of its steel production through BHP Steel’s network of international sales offices.

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