Giant diamond mining group Rio Tinto has announced a number of senior management appointments and changes to its organizational structure, including its diamond division, effective from 1 November 2009.



The changes include the re-instatement of the Diamonds and Minerals product group alongside the Iron Ore, Copper, Aluminium and Energy product groups.



Diamond miner Rio Tinto said the move reflected the company’s “corporate strategy of investing in and operating large, long term, cost competitive mines and businesses, driven not by choice of commodity but by the quality of each opportunity.”



CEO Tom Albanese said: “These changes are designed to strengthen my team and develop the next generation of Rio Tinto leaders. We are in a long-term business and management development is an important priority. Two of our five product group heads will now be based in Australia, reflecting the importance of our base there, with two in London and one in Montreal.”



The changes will result in an expanded Executive Committee with three new appointments. They are Doug Ritchie, who becomes chief executive of Rio Tinto Energy, based in Brisbane; Andrew Harding, who becomes chief executive of Rio Tinto Copper, based in London; and Harry Kenyon-Slaney, who becomes chief executive of Rio Tinto Diamonds and Minerals, also based in London.



Bret Clayton moves to the new role of group executive, Business Support and Operations, from the Copper and Diamonds product group, where he was chief executive. His responsibilities include a number of business support, evaluation and assurance functions, together with management of the downstream aluminum assets which are scheduled for divestment, Rio Tinto said.