BHP Names Adrian Wood as CFO as Project Spending Ramps Up

Pant, who has held the CFO role since early 2024, is expected to step down after the results announcement and remain at BHP until March 29 to help with the transition, the company said Thursday. A person familiar with the matter said she plans to leave Melbourne-based BHP and return to the U.K. She joined the miner in 2016 as group treasurer and head of Europe, based in the U.K.

The appointment follows Brandon Craig’s promotion to chief executive. Since taking the role on July 1, Craig has pledged to improve project delivery as BHP expands in copper, used in electric vehicles and data centers, and potash, a fertilizer ingredient. The company has faced delays and cost overruns at a large potash project in Canada and is advancing copper projects in Chile, Australia and Argentina.

At BHP’s annual shareholder meeting last month, Craig said the company was “investing significantly in our project execution capability” and was committed to delivering projects safely, on time and on budget, with a focus on shareholder value.

Wood joined BHP in 2015. Before becoming vice president of projects for Minerals Australia, he held a finance role in the business and served as group investor relations officer. Craig said Wood brings financial management, strategic thinking and commercial experience, and that his appointment would help build the capabilities needed to deliver BHP’s strategy.

Pant is the second senior executive to leave since Craig became CEO. Chief commercial officer Ragnar Udd has said he will depart at the end of January to become CEO of Albemarle.