Appointment of President Diamonds & Specialty Products

BHP Billiton today announced it has appointed Tim Cutt as President, Diamonds and Specialty Products, effective 1 June 2011. Mr Cutt will be based at BHP Billiton’s offices in Saskatoon in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada.

BHP Billiton also announced it will be relocating the Diamonds and Specialty Products business from Vancouver to Saskatoon. This relocation will be phased over the coming months and reflects the Company’s commitment to establish a premier potash business managed from Saskatchewan, near its flagship potash development project.

Mr Cutt is currently President, Production in BHP Billiton’s Petroleum business, a position he has held since joining the Company in 2007. His career in the resources industry began with Mobil Oil Corporation, where he held positions in engineering, operations and senior management. He served almost 25 years with Mobil, and then ExxonMobil, including as President of ExxonMobil de Venezuela.

Mr Cutt has strong ties to Canada. During his tenure with ExxonMobil he also served in Canada as President of ExxonMobil Canada Energy and President of the Hibernia Management & Development Co. He has a family tie to Saskatchewan, as his mother was born in Kelvington.

Mr Cutt is a graduate of Louisiana Tech University with a bachelor’s degree in Petroleum Engineering.

Mr Cutt takes over his new role from Graham Kerr, who has led the Diamonds and Specialty Products business since 2007. Mr Kerr is returning to Australia due to a family illness and will assume a senior position with the Company to be announced in due course.

BHP Billiton Chief Executive Non-Ferrous, Andrew Mackenzie, welcomed Mr Cutt to the Diamonds and Specialty Products team: “Tim is a world-class leader with a wealth of business, technical and operational experience. He has made a very considerable contribution to BHP Billiton’s Petroleum business and we are delighted to have such a high calibre executive to build on Graham’s tremendous work leading our Diamonds and Specialty Products group.”

Mr Cutt said he was looking forward to the challenge of the role and excited by the opportunities it brings: “I am delighted to be returning to Canada. While it has been a privilege to work in BHP Billiton Petroleum, I am looking forward to working with the Diamonds team at Yellowknife and EKATI and to playing my part in developing an industry leading potash business in Saskatchewan that creates value for shareholders, plays an active role in the community and creates new jobs and opportunities for the Province.”