130 years
incorporated.
Our stories.
On 13 August 1885, a syndicate of seven, led by Charles
Rasp, registered a new corporation in Melbourne called
‘Broken Hill Propriety Company Limited’, two years
after discovering silver and lead in an Australian town
of the same name. Little did they know that 130 years
later, in 2015, their humble company would have grown
into what it is today: BHP Billiton. To celebrate this
significant milestone, we spoke to some of the people
who have made our Company what it is today.
A foreword
from Andrew
This is a collection of stories about
BHP Billiton people. They’re people who
come to work each day and strive to do
their best. Some, like Serge, thrive on
travel and adventure. Denis spent decades
honing his deep technical expertise. And
Sarah wants to make a difference in the
communities where she works. They’re all
so different, yet they all share a passion for
success and live Our Charter values.
This diversity of thought, of people and of
motivations reassures me. It’s a comforting
reminder that at the core of our great
Company are extraordinary people who
are ready to tackle any challenge we might
face, with the same dedication as they
have done in the past.
I feel truly humbled to lead you, as
BHP Billiton’s CEO. Thank you Serge,
Yahir, Carol, Juan, Denis, Ingrid, Charlie,
Tye, Meagan, Peggy, Ben, Sarah, Garry,
Kevin, Giles and Juan for sharing your
stories to celebrate 130 years since BHP
was incorporated. You motivate and
inspire me, and I know your stories will
do the same for others.
Andrew Mackenzie
BHP Billiton Chief Executive Officer
These personal accounts show me firsthand how we’re stepping up every day and
making good decisions – some easy, some
hard. That we’re extending ourselves to
greater and greater heights and focusing
on the things that matter. That we’re
respecting each other and the role each
individual plays. And most importantly,
that we’re looking out for one another
and learning from our mistakes.
130 years incorporated: our stories
1
Our stories:
Serge
Pelletier
BHP Billiton
For a self-professed ‘late
bloomer’, Serge Pelletier
has made up for lost
time in his 21 year career
with BHP Billiton, which
has taken him from the
arid plains of the Navajo
Reservation in New Mexico
to the icy depths of EKATI
Diamond Mine in northern
Canada – and many places
in between. But before
Serge joined BHP Billiton,
a traumatic accident made
him re-evaluate his life,
changing its course
for good.
2
This is his story.
Serge grew up on a small farm and spent
his early years in East Québec, surrounded
by his 10 brothers and sisters. His father
passed away when he was young, leaving
his mother to raise the family by herself.
In 1991, when he was 21, Serge was working
as a lumberjack. ‘I was young and fit,’ he
said. ‘I was using a chainsaw to cut wood
and took my attention off the job for a split
second, and badly injured my left arm.’
He spent 10 days in hospital and was lucky
the surgeon was able to save his limb.
‘It was a very difficult time for me, and
I told myself that whatever job I had in the
future, I would work safely. It was time for
a career change.’
After the accident, Serge put down his
saw and hit the books, first completing a
Technology in Mining Diploma. He then
worked for two years in exploration then
almost five years in an underground
gold mine before deciding to go back to
school for a Mining Engineering degree at
Montana School of Mines in Butte. ‘I only
spoke French, so I stayed in a dorm to help
me learn English,’ Serge said. ‘At 31, I was
the oldest one there. My 18 and 19 year old
dorm mates called me “grandpa”, but I had
a great time – I wouldn’t change a thing
about those years.’
Serge graduated in December 1993. That
autumn, BHP World Minerals Inc. was
touring the Montana Campus interviewing
potential candidates. Despite being an
Australian company, and not very well
known in North America, Serge said BHP
had a good reputation on campus, and
teachers spoke highly of BHP. ‘I was the
only one in my class to be hired by BHP.
My first role was as a Project Engineer in
1994 in Farmington, New Mexico. I worked
mainly on small projects at the Navajo
Mine: I built a pond, installed culverts
[structures that allow water to flow under
a road, railroad or trail] and cleaned up the
tailings dumps,’ Serge said. ‘Navajo was a
mature mine. Everyone backed each other,
and work was well-planned. The team didn’t
have the “shoot from the hip” mentality I’d
witnessed with my previous employers.
It was a really good fit for me.’
Based on the Navajo reservation for two
years, and later at Yellowknife in Canada
for almost nine years, Serge worked closely
with Indigenous communities throughout
his career. ‘Respect and early engagement
are critical,’ he said. ‘They were here long
before us. We must have a sense of social
responsibility in what we do.’
Serge’s first daughter was born in 1994,
and his second daughter 15 months later.
When his youngest was two months old,
Serge started a nine weeks on, four weeks
off roster in Mali, West Africa at Syama Gold
Mine – BHP’s last gold mine. In January
1997, Serge and his young family moved
to Brisbane, Australia for six months where
he worked on the Breakthrough Sourcing
Project. Part of the Supply group, the
project evaluated different commodities
BHP needed for its day-to-day operations,
such as conveyor belts, small and
medium sized vehicles and earth moving
equipment. Six months later they were
back in Canada for the construction at
EKATI Diamond Mine, about 300 kilometres
northeast of Yellowknife. ‘I did all kinds of
jobs at EKATI – I loved it!’ said Serge.
‘Our Charter values
say we’re successful
when our people start
each day with a sense
of purpose and end
the day with a sense
of accomplishment. I
remember feeling that
when I walked to work
every day.’
Serge in a field of oats teaching some BHP Billiton
employees in Saskatchewan about crops.
After nearly five years at EKATI, Serge
was offered the role of Sales/Marketing
Manager for Diamonds Canada, based in
Yellowknife. ‘I thought they were joking
when they said they wanted me to market
diamonds! But the Company trained and
supported me,’ said Serge. ‘Our Charter
values say we’re successful when our
people start each day with a sense of
purpose and end the day with a sense of
accomplishment. I remember feeling that
when I walked to work every day. It was
a beautiful challenge and I enjoyed every
single day of it.’
Last year, Serge travelled back to Butte,
Montana, for the class of 1993’s 21 year
reunion, where he was awarded the
university’s Career Achievement Award.
‘Many of my classmates have been in
Montana since we graduated. I was very
fortunate to have a supportive family
and work for a Company that believes
in and supports me, plus have the
opportunity to travel the world during
my career.’ Working for BHP Billiton has
also exposed his children to different
experiences and perspectives. ‘When we
lived in Johannesburg, we travelled to the
Kingdoms of Lesotho and Swaziland and
visited Soweto,’ Serge said. ‘My girls saw
the best of the world, but also witnessed
the hardship. It’s made them better
citizens of the world.’
For now, Serge is enjoying life in Houston
and is grateful to be based in North
America so he can visit and spend time
with his family. But if you think Serge is
winding down his career, think again. ‘I still
have a lot of fuel left in my tank and I don’t
plan to burn it idling!’ he said.
130 years incorporated: our stories
In 2006, Serge was offered the role of
Commercial Manager for Diamonds
and Speciality Products, based in
Johannesburg, South Africa. In November
2007, while he was in Africa, tragedy struck
BHP Billiton in the form of a fatal helicopter
accident in Angola. Serge was a member
of the Emergency Management Team, and
helped investigate the crash. ‘That broke
my heart,’ said Serge. ‘It reminded me why
we do things the way we do, to protect
people and their families from the pain
of losing a loved one.’
Returning once again to Canada, Serge was
the first employee to be based out of the
new Potash office in Saskatoon, where he
worked until October 2014. He now works
in Houston as Manager Corporate Affairs Closed Sites for North America. Explaining
his current role, Serge said: ‘The lifecycle
of an asset is like a bell curve: you find the
ore body; build the mine; operate it for
years until production declines; and stop.
Then the mine closes and you take care of
the environment in the years that follow.
I’ve spent most of my career working on
the left side or on top of the bell curve.
Now, I am working on the right side of the
curve but the work is still very important in
order to keep our overall licence to operate
as a Company anywhere in the world.
‘My current focus is on the stakeholder
engagement plan for when the mine closes
to ensure we move out of the community
in a way that will minimise any negative
effects. Some companies think their work is
over when they stop mining, and they walk
away. Not us, not BHP Billiton. From my
experience so far, governments respect the
way BHP Billiton’s closes its mines. I enjoy
my job; I think it’s important and crucial for
BHP Billiton’s reputation as a good operator
and a good neighbour.’
Serge during his time at
EKATI Diamond Mine.
3
Our stories:
BHP Billiton
Yahir
Jure
4
Yahir with his colleagues at Escondida Mine.
After 19 years working
at Escondida Mine,
Yahir Jure recognises
that perseverance and
effort pay off. Today, he
works for one of the
world’s leading copper
producers, facing all of the
challenges that business
and industry present.
Yahir at his desk.
This is his story.
Son of a teacher (mother) and an
entrepreneur (father), Yahir was born in
1963 in the city of Coquimbo, in the north
of Chile. His grandparents were both
miners in the early twentieth century,
which Jure thinks may have influenced
his inclination towards mining. He studied
Mechanical Engineering and Industrial
Engineering at La Serena University. After
graduating, he worked at El Indio Mining
Company between 1994 and 1996. He and
his wife, Flor, have three children: Matias,
Camila and Francisca. In 1994, they moved
to Antofagasta with a ‘suitcase full of
hopes’ to work at Ray Rock mining, located
a few kilometres from the city.
Today, as he looks back at the path
he’s gone through, he appreciates the
opportunity Minera Escondida and
BHP Billiton gave him – an opportunity
for professional and personal growth in
a Company where life, security, dedication
and commitment of all its employees
is really valued.
130 years incorporated: our stories
During a weekend stroll through the city,
Yahir had his first encounter with Minera
Escondida (Escondida Mine) when he saw a
company truck downtown in Antofagasta.
Even though he wanted to work there,
he didn’t submit an application because
he thought it would be hard to get into a
company that he describes as ‘the dream
of all workers to work in’. However, his wife
Flor—without him knowing—did everything
she could to submit an application for Yahir.
In January of 1996, Yahir was contacted
by the Company to participate in a
selection process through which, despite
successfully passing all stages, he was not
chosen. Months later, in September, an
envelope with two blue hills printed in a
corner (Minera Escondida’s logo) arrived at
his house letting him know that he was part
of the Minera Escondida team.
Thus began his adventure with
BHP Billiton, first in Coloso Port as
Assistant to the Shift Manager, and then
after a year, as a Shift Leader in charge
of Cathode Plant Maintenance, a position
he held until 1998. Due to the closure of
that area in Coloso, he was selected to be
part of the newly created Oxides Plant as
Shift Leader. Ten years later he became
part of the Lining Superintendence as a
Maintenance Supervisor. In 2010, Yahir
returned to Oxides Dry Area as leader of
the two existing shifts. The same year he
was promoted to work as General Leader
of Cathodes Maintenance Management,
a position he held until 2012 when he
was named Superintendent Cathodes
Maintenance Planning. After a year he
became Execution Superintendent in
the same Management, which is the
role he has today.
5
Our stories:
Carol
Nicklette
At 19 years old, Carol
Nicklette moved from India
to Australia on her own.
A brief visit to Port Hedland
turned into a 27 year stay
and the beginning of a long
career with our Company.
This is her story.
‘Australia is the place to live – that’s
where there are the best opportunities,’
Carol Nicklette’s mother told her teenage
daughter upon returning to India after a
visit. It took a few years to arrange but
Carol’s mother was successful in obtaining
immigration approval. Sadly, she passed
away a few months prior to their planned
departure. After completing her business
studies at a commercial college, a nervous
but determined 19 year old Carol left India
and moved to Perth.
BHP Billiton
Within days of arriving in Perth, Carol got
her first job with a legal company. ‘I had
to take a shorthand and typing test. The
shorthand part was a breeze, but having
never used an electric typewriter before,
I wasn’t very fast,’ Carol remembers, ‘but
I was accurate!’ She spent the next three
months working at the legal firm, then took
a trip up to Port Hedland to attend a family
christening. ‘I intended to stay at Port
Hedland for just a few weeks, but I ended
up staying for 27 years,’ Carol said. ‘The
people were so friendly and hospitable.
The fact that it was a little iron ore town
didn’t bother me in the least.’
6
Carol started a new job as Stenographer
to the Superintendent Project Engineering
at Nelson Point on 22 August 1978—her
first role with BHP—at Mt Newman Mining
Company Pty Ltd. She worked in the
Project Engineering and Contracts group
typing contracts, tender documents,
scopes of work and specifications.
‘Being only 19 at the time, I was a relatively
inexperienced stenographer. I was thrilled
to start on a salary of $204 a fortnight.’
Carol clearly remembers her first day.
‘Everything at site seemed like a big maze
to me. I got lost walking between the
transportable building where I worked
and the admin building!’
Once she got settled at her desk – with
her very own electric typewriter – Carol
was in awe. ‘There was a box next to the
typewriter and inside it were six “golf
balls”. But they weren’t real golf balls,
they were little round things you put
into your typewriter to produce different
fonts. And I had six of them – six fonts to
choose from! I thought I’d died and gone to
heaven.’ Of her early days at Nelson Point,
Carol remembers the clothing, food and
technology. ‘Site office-based ladies could
wear strappy sun dresses accompanied
by equally strappy footwear to work in
the summer, and the tradesmen in the
workshops wore sleeveless vests and shorts
called “stubbies”. The Nelson Point Mess
served the most delicious fish and chips on
Fridays for lunch, which we paid for with a
“meal ticket” purchased for about 50 cents.
‘In 1978, we used electric typewriters,
telex machines, dymo machines (manual
labelling), Tippex and date stamps,’ she
said. ‘There was no email, no internet,
no Google and no mobile phones. If my
boss was out on site and I needed to get
an urgent message to him, I sometimes
had to make up to eight phone calls to
track him down.’ In 1979, Carol was the
first administrator at Nelson Point to be
trained on a ‘Wang Word Processor’. ‘The
dot-matrix printer was a source of great
astonishment and delight,’ she remembers.
‘I no longer had to type the “Force Majeure”
clause in contract documents – I could
select two keys and the whole clause would
appear on the screen.’ In 1997 she was also
the first administrator to get a Macintosh
computer, and remembers later getting
her first IBM laptop, in the late 1990s.
Norm and Carol Nicklette at the
2014 Long Service Function in Perth.
Carol’s fiancée, Norm, joined her in Port
Hedland two years after she arrived, and
they got married in late 1979. Norm got a
job working for a government department,
Main Roads Western Australia. Fortunately
for Carol, and BHP Billiton, in 1982 the
Company introduced maternity leave. ‘I
was among the first of the women I worked
with to take maternity leave and the only
one to return to full time work,’ she said.
‘Ladies now had a choice and did not have
to resign or lose their job if they wanted
to start a family. If maternity leave had not
been introduced, I would not have been
able to return to work and be here 37 years
later as the longest serving lady at Iron Ore.’
Norm and Carol’s children, Gavin and
Laura, were both born in Port Hedland and
attended a local primary school before
going to high school and university in
Perth. In July 1995, Norm joined Carol
at BHP as a High Voltage Electrician at
Nelson Point, moving to a Maintenance
Planner role at Finucane Island in 2005.
Over the years, the family has taken trips
back to India. ‘“Say the days of the week”,
my relatives back in India would say to my
children! They liked hearing their Australian
accents,’ Carol said. ‘I gave my children
strict instructions that they were not to
speak while we were at the local markets
as their accents would have been directly
related to the prices instantly going up!’
‘I intended to stay at
Port Hedland for just
a few weeks, but I
ended up staying for
27 years.’
From May 2001 to Jan 2004, I worked for
now Chief Commercial Officer, Dean Dalla
Valle, while he was Vice President Ports,
then continued working for his successor,
Mick Evans.’ Carol bid Port Hedland farewell
in 2005 when she transferred to Perth for a
new role as Executive Assistant to the Vice
President Integrated Planning (now known
as Integrated Operations). She’s currently
the Executive Assistant for the Head of
Integrated Operations, Dean White. Norm is
a Business Process Data Coach in the Asset
Projects team and recently completed
20 years of service with BHP Billiton. Carol
has earned the nickname of ‘the Oracle’
among her colleagues, thanks to her depth
of knowledge about Iron Ore systems and
processes. ‘Each area within Iron Ore I
have worked in has helped me increase my
knowledge and skills,’ she said.
Some of Carol’s most memorable moments
include standing on Redbank Bridge at
Port Hedland on 21 June 2001 watching the
historic, world record-breaking longest,
heaviest train, run by BHP Billiton Iron Ore’s
Railroad team. Read more about the train in
retired Iron Ore employee, Denis Robeck’s
story. She also cites the launch of the
innovative Integrated Remote Operations
Centre at 125 St Georges Terrace, Perth, in
December 2012 as a significant milestone.
In all her time with BHP, and despite the
many changes over the past 37 years,
Carol said some important elements
have remained the same. ‘BHP Billiton
continues to value their employees and
place the safety of their employees above
all other Company business objectives,’
she said. ‘It’s exciting working for an
innovative Company like BHP Billiton and
a division like Iron Ore where continuous
improvement is a given and people are
acknowledged and valued.’
130 years incorporated: our stories
During her career with BHP Billiton, Carol
has worked in various administration roles.
‘Between 1992 and 1998 I worked for the
two Port Managers at Nelson Point,
then as the Executive Assistant to the
Vice President Railways and Ports at
Nelson Point from 1998 to 2005.
Carol has witnessed Iron Ore achieve major
tonnage increases over the years as a result
of the business commitment to major
capital investment, planning, innovation
and continuous improvement to supply
chain management. ‘When I joined Iron Ore
in 1978, we shipped 29.555 million tonnes
from Nelson Point. In 2000, we shipped
56.684 million tonnes, and as at
30 June 2015 we had shipped 256.52
million tonnes.’
7
BHP Billiton
‘I wanted to be
part of this from
the beginning.’
8
Juan operating a shovel at Escondida Mine.
Our stories:
Juan
Olivares
In the town of Pedro de
Valdivia, with the desert
as the background, Juan
Guillermo Olivares is the
third of eight children who
followed in his father’s
footsteps into the mining
industry. He has been
working at Escondida
Mine for 26 years.
This is his story.
Almost all of Juan Olivares’ memories and
life revolve around the mining industry.
Since he was a little boy he dreamed of
operating giant machines, and he began to
do so in 1982 as part of La Cascada mining
company. But Juan dreamed big and
longed to belong to a global company. In
1989, at Pozo Almonte, where he lived with
his family, he got the news that they were
recruiting workers for a new and ambitious
mining project in Antofagasta operated by
an international enterprise. That company
was Minera Escondida (Escondida Mine).
Accompanied by his wife, Maria, he went to
the administrative offices, which were then
next to Hotel Antofagasta. He remembers
as if it were yesterday, depositing in
a mailbox a square envelope with his
application sent to Box 530. ‘I wanted to be
part of this from the beginning,’ he recalls.
A week later he received a telegram inviting
him for an interview.
In April of 1989, Juan joined the Company,
working as Heavy Equipment Operator. The
following year, he moved to Antofagasta
with his wife and two daughters: Maria
Soledad and Yasna Polet; Nataly was
born two years later – in his personal life,
everything was going well.
Maria and Juan Olivares.
Meanwhile, at work, Juan was selected
to operate the Shovel 53, and then the
Shovel 50. He had officially become a
Shovel Operator, a role that allows him to
participate in Escondida Norte project.
After 25 years as shovel operator, Juan
sees his work as ‘a blessing, the dream of
all heavy equipment operators to work as
part of a world-class company.’
Today, in 2015 he is happy and satisfied,
and intends to give back to the Company
with safety, dedication and commitment.
130 years incorporated: our stories
During his seven by seven shift, Juan
operates Shovel 92, a modern, steel giant,
capable of carrying 120 tonnes of material.
‘I’m happy when I am on my machine, it’s
like a toy that I could be in all day long,’
said Juan.
9
Our stories:
Denis
Robeck
Amidst the red dust of the
Pilbara in outback Western
Australia, locomotive
number 4470 snakes its
way along the scorching
railway tracks, carting
iron ore from Yandi Mine
to Port Hedland. To a
casual passer-by, 4470
is an arbitrary number.
But for BHP Billiton, 4470
signifies a lifetime of
experience, knowledge
and commitment, because
above that number is a
name: Denis Robeck.
This is his story.
As a boy growing up in Queensland’s Mary
Valley near Gympie, Denis was enthralled
by locomotives, the diesel vehicles that
power trains. ‘There was a railway line that
went up a steep grade on the other side
of the oval at school,’ Denis said. ‘When I
was in class, I used to hear the locomotives
powering up the hill. It was a childhood
dream of mine to one day work on them.’
Denis’ dream became a reality when he
took up an apprenticeship as an Electrical
Fitter with Queensland Government
Railways in 1965. About four years later he
was on the hunt for a job. Browsing through
the classifieds of a Brisbane newspaper,
Denis spotted an advertisement for a role
with a ‘big mining company’ in Western
Australia’s Port Hedland, some 3,500
kilometres from home. The company was
Mount Newman Company, 30 per cent
owned by BHP.
BHP Billiton
When Denis arrived in Port Hedland in
1970, the town – on the coast of Western
Australia – was about five years into a
development program that would see its
population grow from about 1,200 to what
it is today: the second largest town in the
Pilbara with a population of about 14,000.
‘Cooke Point housing was still being built,
South Hedland was in the very early stages
of development and Pretty Pool was a
place to have a picnic,’ he said.
10
Denis was among many who flocked to
the region, staying in temporary ‘dongastyle’ accommodation to support the
influx of workers hoping to cash in on the
burgeoning industry. He started off working
in the locomotive overhaul shop then
swapped between that and the service
shop, later securing a foreman’s role then
a training officer position.
As the world’s demand for steel grew, so
did the imperative to get more iron ore to
the port and onto the ships. For Denis and
his team, that could only mean one thing:
longer, heavier trains.
‘Over the years it has been a pleasure to
work for BHP and later BHP Billiton as we
are now known,’ he said. ‘In our endeavour
to succeed in the marketplace, I’ve had
the opportunity to work on some of the
most technically advanced equipment
available. This has also led me to work
with people from other countries and
also visit their facilities.’
Denis’ speciality was General Electric’s
‘Locotrol’ system, which BHP started using
in the late 1980s. ‘Locotrol enables a lead
locomotive at the front to remotely control
up to four additional locomotives along
the length of a train, increasing its hauling
power. I also helped in the installation of
automatic train protection (ATP), which
is a safety system for single-driver trains
that warns drivers if they’re in danger of
exceeding the speed limit or missing
a signal.’
Former colleague and friend, Ben
Joukhadar, said this depth of experience
and years focused solely on locomotives
made Denis the ‘go-to’ person at work.
‘It was extremely rare to find an ATP,
Locotrol or Dash 8 [a model of locomotive]
fault Denis hadn’t seen before and knew
the answer for,’ Ben said. ‘He was a
wealth of knowledge – in his head and
in the numerous manuals and archives
on his computer. During his career, he
was intimately involved in the industryleading work General Electric pioneered in
partnership with BHP. But the longest train
record remains ours. ‘
Denis Robeck in the locomotive
named after him.
Ben is referring to one of the highlights of
Denis’ career – helping to run the world’s
longest and heaviest train on 21 June 2001.
‘This consisted of 682 ore cars and eight
AC 6000 locomotives,’ Denis said.
‘It weighed 99,732 tonnes and was
7.35 kilometres long. It got us into the
Guinness Book of World Records.’
Thirteen years later, in September 2014,
Denis downed his tools and returned to
Queensland. ‘His retirement coincided with
the retirement of the Dash 8 locomotives
and marked the end of an era,’ Ben said.
‘I remember Denis for having employee
number 27, which changed to 20000002
when we upgraded to 1SAP. At that time
only one other person still working in
Western Australia Iron Ore had started
before Denis, and he seemed to want
to hold out at work until he became the
longest serving employee.’
Reflecting on his time with the Company,
Denis said: ‘Over the years I have seen a lot
of people pass through Nelson Point site
and I have had good times and made a
lot of friends. The stories of some would
fill a book.’
But that’s not the last you’ll see of ‘Denis
Robeck’, because that’s the name of a
BHP Billiton locomotive, alongside the
number 4470, honouring the depth and
experience of a 44 year career with our
Company, which started back in 1970.
130 years incorporated: our stories
BHP Billiton Iron Ore
World Record Train.
‘In our endeavour to succeed
in the marketplace, I’ve had the
opportunity to work on some of
the most technically advanced
equipment available.
11
Our stories:
Peggy
Newbanks
Peggy’s career with our
Company started at the
Energy Reserves Group
(ERG) in Wichita, Kansas,
in 1979. A few years later,
life changed when BHP
bought ERG and Peggy
packed her bags to
move to Houston.
This is her story.
Peggy Newbanks grew up in the Flinthills
of Kansas, in Latham, a small town of 250
people. ‘Being an only child, my father
instilled the love of sports in me and my
mother, the love of music,’ she said. ‘Days
were spent playing outside with the town
kids or practising my piano. I went to a
small high school, where everyone knew
each other and the parents knew all the
kids. No one could get in trouble without
the news getting to your parents before
you got home.’
After attending a community college for
two years, she got a job as a secretary to
the president of a local petroleum trucking
company. ‘I learned a lot about hauling
petroleum products to and from refineries;
about scheduling, tracking and billing for
deliveries; and the risks involved in hauling
flammable products out on the highway,’
Peggy said.
BHP Billiton
In 1979, she moved to Energy Reserves
Group (ERG), a small independent oil
and gas exploration and production
company based in Wichita, Kansas. ‘I
started as a secretary in the ad valorem
tax department and ended up doing tax
renditions and filings for the company,’ she
said. ‘I then worked for the next five years
in the Accounts Receivable department,
reconciling accounts and contacting joint
interest partners for payments.’
12
ERG was facing financial difficulties when
BHP USA bought the company in 1984,
Peggy recalls. ‘BHP was looking for leases
in the Gulf of Mexico, and ERG owned the
West Cameron facility and had thousands
of producing leases throughout Kansas,
Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado
and Wyoming,’ she said. ‘BHP then bought
Monsanto Oil Company in 1985 to gain
further properties in the Gulf of Mexico
and onshore.’
In 1986, BHP closed the Wichita office
and combined the ERG and Monsanto
groups in Houston, where Peggy was
offered a role. ‘It was an emotional time
for the employees,’ Peggy said. ‘We were
merging two companies with totally
different cultures – ERG was laid back and
Monsanto was very structured.’ After about
12 months, Peggy said the two groups
started to merge. ‘In Houston, so many of
us were from someplace else, so we stuck
together and explored our new home,’
she said. ‘One night a group of us singles
went to a Greek restaurant and ended up
singing and dancing in circles all evening. It
was great fun and it built a comradery that
carried over to the office.’ Team building
activities ‘up in the woods’ also helped the
teams bond. ‘After being forced to work
together climbing ropes, going over walls
and working out all of the frustrations,
employees started to mesh,’ she said. ‘The
team regularly met after work at local bar,
Bennigans, where new alliances and a
sense of cohesion developed.’
BHP decided to sell the onshore properties
to focus on offshore development.
Although that meant closing field offices,
for Peggy, it meant a new role. ‘During this
period, everyone needed to know how all
the other departments were functioning
so there were opportunities for cross
training,’ she said. ‘I began working in the
Controller’s department on cash transfers
back and forth between the Group Treasury
in San Francisco. I was in this group for
several months before I went back to
Accounts Receivable, where I worked
with the Legal department filing lawsuits
to collect debts.’
Yahir at his desk.
‘It is this Company’s
character more
than the great pay
and benefits that
has kept me here.’
In 1989, Peggy went back to school to get
her Paralegal certificate. ‘In June of 1991,
I started working in the Legal Department
as a paralegal doing litigation research and
assisting joint interest partner lawsuits.
I also became the prime paralegal on all
Federal Minerals Management Service
(MMS) matters, and was fortunate to work
with a great lawyer, Jan Potts. Jan taught
me everything I know about contracts and
how they affect the business dealings of
the company. Eventually, I became the
paralegal that worked on all contracts for
the Company. The General Counsel at the
time, Ed Parker, encouraged all of us to
work hard, but play hard as well.’
In 2002, a staff of five formed the Houston
Petroleum Supply group, in which Peggy
was the Contracts Administrator. During
her time in Supply – where she works
today as a Senior Category Management
Specialist – she completed a Bachelor
of Science in Management. ‘We handled
everything within that small group,’ she
said. ‘We would work on apartment
leases, phone contracts, drilling services,
exploration contracts. You name it, and we
did it. A lot of the work was done manually,
so I was often seen travelling around the
building with a pile of contract folders
going from approver to approver to
get signatures.’
Reflecting on her time in the oil industry,
Peggy said a lot has changed. ‘I can
remember Christmas parties in the office
that would start at 10.00am, and the office
would be closed by noon! In Wichita,
we always had a kazoo band that would
march in the St Patrick’s Day parade. Of
course that was a different time in the
business world.’
Peggy at the BHP Billiton
office in Houston.
Although times have changed, Peggy
said the best thing about working for
BHP Billiton has always been the people.
‘The people in the Houston office are a
caring group,’ she said. ‘If someone needs
help, we are there to gather clothes,
money, food or whatever is needed.’
Opportunities have also helped keep her at
BHP Billiton. ‘When I came to Houston,
I thought I would stay a few years and then
end up back in Kansas. But BHP Billiton has
always provided me with opportunities,
if I was really interested and willing to work
toward them. It is this Company’s character
more than the great pay and benefits that
has kept me here.
‘I hope that when I finally leave this
Company, people will remember me as
someone who really cared about how
BHP Billiton conducted business, that we
were fair and ethical, and that I was a really
hard worker. If I had to walk out of the door
today, I would ask my fellow employees to
hold the Company to a high standard. Make
sure the Company strives to not complicate
beyond what is necessary, is a good
community partner and that we remain
guardians of the environments in
which we operate.’
130 years incorporated: our stories
Throughout her career, Peggy says
she has been fortunate to learn how to
execute contracts for drilling rigs, drilling
and completion services, exploration
seismic acquisition, processing, licensing
contracts, apartment leases, helicopters,
supply vessels, facility equipment and
facility construction, along with many
other areas. ‘The most rewarding contract
I have ever worked on was the contract for
the CR Luigs, our first deepwater drillship,’
she said. ‘It was such a great opportunity
to learn about the vessel and how it
operated. One of my favourite activities
was instructing 1CMS contract processes.
I enjoyed interacting with other Supply
employees and learning how procedures
and processes affect the way they do
their jobs.’
13
Our stories:
Ingrid
Ciesla
It’s 1981. The largest
undeveloped copper
orebody in the world has
recently been discovered in
the remote Atacama Desert
of northern Chile. Back in
Santiago, six people are
working tirelessly from a
refurbished office building,
eager to get the project off
the ground. The seventh to
join them is Ingrid Ciesla.
This is her story.
In 1981, Ingrid was studying to be a
Commercial Engineer in Santiago, Chile,
after graduating with a bilingual Secretary
and Technical Accounting degree. She was
halfway through her first year of university
when she received a phone call from a
geologist she had met while doing practical
work at a previous company. He had since
left that company and was now working
at General Electric subsidiary,
Utah International.
‘He wanted an assistant and asked if I
was interested,’ Ingrid said. ‘I saw it as an
opportunity to start working immediately
and save money, so I took the role.’ Ingrid
became the seventh member of the
Santiago-based team. ‘There was me, a
geologist, a general manager and just a
few other people,’ Ingrid said. ‘It was a
very good team – we did everything that
needed to be done.’ That included assisting
management to secure financing for what
would become Minera Escondida – the
Escondida Mine.
BHP Billiton
In 1984, BHP acquired Utah International
from General Electric, giving the Australian
company controlling interests in Escondida
Mine. By the end of 1990, less than 10
years after its discovery, Escondida began
producing copper concentrate. Ingrid
remembers 31 December 1990, when the
first ship loaded with copper concentrate
set sail from Coloso’s port. ‘The first
shipment was a very big milestone for
everyone at Escondida,’ Ingrid said. ‘I
remember Escondida in the early days
when the mine was just a hole in the earth. I
couldn’t visualise then what it would be like
15 years later. It’s amazing now; it’s so huge.’
14
Ingrid worked as an assistant to the
Finance Manager until 1993, when she
took 13 months of leave without pay to
accompany her husband on a military
post to the United States.
On return, she worked as an Assistant to
the Marketing Vice President for two years,
then continued in Marketing in contracts
administration, and is now Coordinator
Distribution. In her current role, which she
has had since 2010, Ingrid manages four
people, looking after the logistics of getting
copper concentrate and cathodes from the
vessel to the customer. This role has given
her the opportunity to be in close contact
with the assets in Chile and also with other
Marketing offices. Reflecting on why she
has stayed with the Company for so long,
Ingrid said: ‘When I started and I liked the
Company, I thought “I want to stay here
forever”. I knew it would be very difficult
to find a company as good as BHP Billiton,
so why look for something else when I
have everything I need here? I have always
loved what I do and the Company keeps
surprising me every day with new initiatives
and learnings.’
While working full time, Ingrid raised
three children. ‘I have been given many
opportunities throughout my career – some
which I’ve taken and others I haven’t. The
most important thing for me was raising my
family. I have been able to have a great job
and also take care of my family in the way
I wanted to. I wanted to be very involved,
and BHP Billiton has supported me in doing
that.’ Her hard work was recognised in
2008, when Ingrid was selected to attend
the Beijing Olympics with other employees
from across BHP Billiton. ‘It was wonderful
to be recognised for my work, and to meet
lots of other people from different areas of
the Company.’
Today, BHP Billiton has several operations in
South America – including Escondida, the
world’s largest single producer of copper,
and Pampa Norte copper mines further
north. Ingrid now has two grandchildren,
and her daughter is expecting another one
in December 2015.
Ingrid on a piece of equipment
at Escondida in the 1980s.
‘I have been able to have a great job and also
take care of my family in the way I wanted to.
I wanted to be very involved, and BHP Billiton
has supported me in doing that.’
At Escondida airport in the 1980s. In the early days it was common
to travel to the mine by small plane from Antofagasta airport.
130 years incorporated: our stories
Ingrid Ciesla.
15
Our stories:
Charlie, Tye
and Meagan
Brookes
If you’d told Charlie
Brookes back in the 1980s
that his son and daughter
would one day work on a
mining site with him, he
wouldn’t have believed
you. Today, Charlie, Tye
and Meagan all work
at Saraji Mine.
This is their story.
Charlie spent his early working years as a
farmer and timber cutter in Finch Hatton
near Mackay. When he first moved into
mining, Charlie worked as a loader operator
for several years at Burton Downs. In
2006, he was looking for somewhere to
spend his final working years, and got a
job at Saraji Mine near Dysart in Central
Queensland. There, he operates ‘everything
except face shovels and draglines’. With his
60th birthday in September 2015, he says
he’s stepping back a bit to give the next
generation a go. ‘I drive trucks so they can
get on the big gear,’ he said. ‘They’re like
roosters in a chook yard!’
BHP Billiton
One of those people is Charlie’s son,
Tye Brookes. Tye has been in mining for
about 14 years. He previously worked at
Orica in blasting for about five years, and
completed a traineeship at Theiss. When
his contract at Theiss ended, Charlie
suggested he try for a job at Saraji Mine.
‘I had a few mates here and heard great
things from dad about Saraji,’ Tye said.
Since then, he’s been ‘flat out’ working as
a Step-Up Supervisor, Trainer Assessor, in
Mine Services, in Road Maintenance and
as an Operator, but said the highlight has
been getting his qualification to operate
the largest piece of equipment on site,
the dragline. ‘I got my dragline ticket 18
months ago,’ he said. ‘The dragline is the
crème-de-la-crème of operating. You have
to think a lot further ahead – it keeps your
brain working.’ When asked why he enjoys
being an Operator, Tye said: ‘Big toys in the
sandpit, I guess!’
16
Back in Mackay, younger sister, Meagan
Brookes, had enough of her job in
administration. ‘I’ve always been an outside
person. I hated being stuck in a box,’ she
said. She also applied for a role on site,
joining her dad and brother in A crew about
four years ago. ‘It was good to have some
friendly faces there when I started, as the
first couple of weeks were pretty daunting.’
Under her big brother’s instruction, Meagan
learned how to operate haul trucks.
‘Tye was pretty hard on me to start with,
pushing me to do better. But I got the hang
of it and he had to swallow his words!’
Tye admits he was impressed by Meagan’s
skills. ‘I didn’t think she had it in her!’
he said.
Meagan now operates water carts, trucks
and loaders (including the second largest
wheeled loader on the planet, loading a
consistent 25,000 tonnes per shift), and
is third in her family to get her Trainer
Assessor qualification. She also spent
time as a Mine Controller, and working in
Dispatch where she learned more about
the industry and worked closely with senior
people on site. ‘I like getting more tickets.
It helps me better myself at work,’ she said.
‘I’ve met a lot of amazing people. My crew
at Saraji are like my second family.’
Charlie said he enjoys seeing his kids
do well. ‘Tye’s very productive and also
competitive,’ said Charlie. ‘If someone
does 100 loads, he’ll do 110. He’s a good
operator. He also has his mother’s attitude –
if he wants to say something, he says it!’
Charlie, Tye and Meagan Brookes.
‘Meagan gets on with everyone, and got
to know a lot of people while she was in
Dispatch. Anytime you talk to someone on
site about Meagan and how well she goes
on the loader, they say it’s a Brookes thing,’
he jokes.
Since his kids grew up on the farm, it
doesn’t surprise Charlie that they have
made their careers working on machinery.
But having them working alongside him is
another matter. ‘They surprise me every
day,’ Charlie said. ‘It doesn’t happen many
times in your lifetime where you can be
taking over the hot-seat of a $9 million
loader from your daughter while she goes
to crib. I’m very proud of both of them, and
I love seeing them do well. Having them
working with me has definitely been the
highlight of my career. But I don’t tell them
that. They’ll get a big head!’
‘At the end of the day, I hope both Tye
and Meagan appreciate and respect the
opportunity the mining industry has given
them, rather than just expect it.’
Charlie and Tye Brookes.
130 years incorporated: our stories
‘I’ve met a lot of amazing people.
My crew at Saraji are like my
second family.’
- Meagan
17
Our stories:
Ben
Mansfield
Six year old Ben Mansfield
wanted a new Caterpillarbranded Tonka truck. Badly.
He asked his father to buy
him one. ‘What’s the value
proposition?’ his father
asked. ‘I need the new truck
to complete the set,’ Ben
said. ‘And once I have that, I
can mine the whole sandpit.’
BHP Billiton
With conversations like this
commonplace throughout
his childhood, it’s no
surprise Ben followed his
father and grandfather
into the mining industry
and is the third generation
in his family to work at
BHP Billiton.
18
Ben (right) with Mitsubishi representative,
Tetsuro Tamura, at BHP Billiton Mitsubishi
Alliance’s (BMA’s) Blackwater Mine.
Ben (right) with his former colleagues
from the Gold Coast City Council.
While at Illawarra Coal, Ben’s general
manager suggested he broaden his
experience by working outside of mining.
Ben left BHP Billiton to work for Bovis
Lend Lease (where he was contracted
back to Illawarra Coal), then as a Director
of Economic Development and Major
Projects at the Gold Coast City Council.
‘It was a time when the global economy
was booming and there were plenty of
major development projects. I worked with
a multitude of government and private
stakeholders to identify and deliver major
projects to enhance the prosperity of the
Gold Coast’s economy. Key projects were
implementing an economic development
strategy; a light rail public transport transit
system; sports stadium; and lead on the
2016 Commonwealth Games bid.’
In 2011, Ben came back to BHP Billiton
and worked on growth, sustaining and
de-bottlenecking projects at BHP Billiton
Mitsubishi Alliance. He also participated
in a number of Independent Peer Review
teams, which assess the value proposition
of various projects. ‘It gave me full
oversight into how all the mechanics of
our businesses and assets work together,
and required me to travel to many different
BHP Billiton sites,’ said Ben. ‘It also opened
my eyes to the fact that we have such
phenomenal people – the sum of each
individual’s effort is what makes our
Company successful and makes the
future exciting.’
‘My parents met at a party in Dampier while
dad was working for BHP,’ Ben said. ‘Mum
is an entrepreneur and was looking to
set up an accounting practice in Western
Australia. She made the serendipitous
decision to go to the party, and the rest is
history.’ Ben remembers going to site as
a child. ‘My father or grandfather would
sit me in a chair outside the maintenance
workshop, and I would watch people and
equipment all day long. I was captivated,
and yearned to be part of it.’
From 1976 to 1985, Ben’s grandfather
worked at various BHP Billiton mines
(including Mt Whaleback) as a Truck Driver/
Warehouse Clerk. His father cut his teeth
in Newman as a Graduate Mining Engineer,
before embarking on a successful career.
He now consults back to the industry,
advising various CEOs and general
managers on strategic matters, in
particular operational productivity.
‘Both my father and grandfather instilled
in me the values of integrity, respect and
definitely performance from a very young
age,’ Ben said. ‘These have, and always will,
resonate with me.’
Ben now works in the Corporate Affairs
team in Melbourne, where he manages
the BHP Billiton Annual Reporting Project.
‘It’s a very enjoyable role,’ Ben said. ‘It
enables me to engage with a range of
Company stakeholders, as well as with
external lawyers, accountants and industry
professionals. I get to be right across all
aspects of our performance and assist
in delivering our strategy and priorities.
Working on the Annual Report has been an
extraordinary opportunity.’
Ben said he’s excited by what the future
holds. ‘If you look at where we’ve been over
the past 130 years, and look at what could
lie ahead…that’s what excites me, and I
feel like I have an active role in where that’s
going to go for our Company.’
After work, Ben rolls up his project plans
and heads home to his wife, Kat, and
son, Charlie. Will Charlie be the fourth
generation Mansfield to work at
BHP Billiton? ‘Not sure,’ said Ben.
‘Kat’s a third-generation dentist, so
there may be some competition.’
130 years incorporated: our stories
After finishing school in Sydney, Ben got a
job as an underground miner at Illawarra
Coal and completed a Bachelor of Civil
Engineering. ‘I didn’t have much of a life for
three and a half years while I worked and
studied full time,’ Ben admits. ‘But I knew I
wanted a career in mining.’
‘My father or
grandfather
would sit me in
a chair outside
the maintenance
workshop, and I
would watch people
and equipment
all day long. I was
captivated, and
yearned to be
part of it.’
This is his story.
19
Our stories:
Sarah
Knoll
BHP Billiton
Sarah Knoll’s father worked
for Samancor, in Billiton’s
manganese business. As
a young girl growing up
in Johannesburg, South
Africa, she remembers
gathering with her brother
and sister, listening wideeyed to her father’s tales
of his experiences on a
remote Australian island.
Little did she know that
one day, she would call
the same island home and
develop a deep respect
for Indigenous culture.
20
This is her story.
Sarah’s father was a member of the
financial team that worked on the
BHP Billiton merger, and he was
subsequently offered a role in our Coal
Business. In 2003, the family relocated
from Johannesburg to Brisbane, Australia.
Young and full of aspiration, Sarah started
university. ‘I was a bit of a humanitarian
and environmentalist. I wanted to save the
world, and I didn’t always agree with the
behaviour of big corporates,’ she admits.
‘My dad and I would often have heated
debates about world issues.’
After completing her postgraduate studies
in Psychological Science, Sarah returned to
Africa for a year, this time working in east
Africa as a social worker and researcher
within a not-for-profit organisation. There,
she witnessed the reality of poverty,
violence and corruption, and returned
to Australia wondering how she could
make a difference. ‘That’s when my dad
encouraged me to apply for a job with a
mining company, where you have more
resources to work with and opportunities
for community development. And, of
course, your safety comes first.’
Sarah with Jonathan Wurramarrba
on Bickerton Island during her
time at GEMCO.
In 2010, Sarah took on a graduate role
in the Community team at GEMCO,
Groote Eylandt, in the Northern Territory
of Australia – the very island her father
had told about when she was a child. ‘My
manager, John Hanson, picked me up in his
ute [utility vehicle], threw my bags in the
back and drove me to my camp room in
Alyangula, a small town in the north of the
island. A cyclone had just passed through
the gulf, and I was nervous but excited at
the same time.’ One of her team members
was a man called Jonathan Wurramarrba.
‘Jonathan is a respected Warnindilyakwa
elder and the longest serving employee at
GEMCO – he’s been with the Company for
about 40 years,’ Sarah said. ‘He is a brilliant
man. He loves Elvis and has the memory
of an elephant! I had so many great
conversations with him.’
One of Sarah’s tasks was to set up the
Community Management System to ensure
compliance with GLD.008 Community. ‘On
Groote, I learned that social responsibility
by mining companies is evolving away from
transactional relationships to working with
Aboriginal communities on a shared vision.
At GEMCO, we talked to communities
about what they wanted their future to
be like, and how we could be part of that.
Our environmental performance, such as
rehabilitation and water management, were
important priorities. In my conversations
with leadership, I realised we had their
full support, and that if we delivered to
our commitments, we had a genuine
partnership and a future with
the community,’ she said.
Sarah with her face painted at her
farewell lunch in Muswellbrook,
the Hunter Valley.
Engaging with the community in Gabon.
After two and a half years at GEMCO,
Sarah moved to Mt Arthur Coal in the
Hunter Valley. ‘It was a completely different
experience to Groote Eylandt,’ Sarah said.
‘The coal operation was one of several
in the area; we had complex cumulative
impact issues and a diverse community
with very different opinions on mining.
At the same time, I began to develop a
strategic view of community relations,
and understand the necessity to build a
solid business case for everything we do.’
Sarah said Mt Arthur Coal’s approach to
community was ahead of its time. ‘The
team put a lot of work into engaging with
marginalised communities who had never
been engaged by mining companies
before. One of their main aspirations
was to improve employment and create
development opportunities. So together
we developed a Community Employment
and Development Strategy, and began
investing in the lifecycle of education, from
pre-school through to apprenticeships and
post-school education. Not only did this
empower people, but also delivered on our
business objectives of workforce diversity
and social licence to operate.’
Another trip back to her home continent
saw Sarah spend three months on
secondment in Gabon, west central
Africa, with the Minerals Exploration team.
There, she coordinated the community
component of an Environmental Impact
Assessment. ‘We trekked through dense
jungle, saw elephants and gorillas and
visited places not many people have
experienced. The Community and
Environment Manager was a Frenchspeaking man from Madagascar called
Alphonse Alphonse. He spoke French to
me the entire time I was there, so I had
no choice but to pick up the language. It
was such a challenge! On our last night,
he poured us a glass of champagne each
and spoke to me in perfect English. He
could have spoken English all along, but he
wanted to push me; he knew I could do it.’
Back in the Hunter Valley, Sarah settled
into the country lifestyle. ‘I bought a little
house, grew a veggie patch and bartered
for chickens at the local poultry auction.’
However, that changed when a last minute
opportunity came up to work on a Health,
Safety, Environment and Community
(HSEC) technical audit at Olympic Dam,
so Sarah headed down to South Australia.
Little did she know when she delivered the
audit findings that they would form the
basis of her next role description, Senior
Advisor Community Improvement in the
Corporate Affairs global function.
Sarah believes one of the greatest things
about BHP Billiton is our approach to
corporate social responsibility. ‘Our human
rights impact assessment process is the
foundation of our understanding of our
relationships with and impacts on our
stakeholders – governments, communities,
suppliers and contractors,’ she explained.
‘It gives us a broad understanding of
where we are in our social and economic
environment, and helps us develop
effective engagement strategies. It really
sets us up to develop strong, sustainable
relationships with the communities in
which we operate.’
It’s not surprising, given her passion for
working with Aboriginal communities, that
Sarah cites the release of BHP Billiton’s
Indigenous Peoples Policy Statement as
one of the highlights of her time in the
Company. ‘When I read the email to staff
from Chief Public Affairs Officer, Tony
Cudmore, it made me remember why I
work for BHP Billiton. I am so proud that we
as a Company are publicly committing to
our relationships with Indigenous people
across the world, and supporting their
social and economic empowerment.’
130 years incorporated: our stories
While Sarah was at Mt Arthur Coal, the
team revised its approach to complaints
management. ‘I took the OCEs [open cut
examiners, who make operational decisions
on site] out to my visits with farmers and
other community members to give them a
better shared understanding of operational
decision-making. An old perception of
community relations is that it’s all about
cups of tea and “keeping people happy”,’
Sarah added. ‘Don’t get me wrong, I
love tea! But it’s much more. It’s a big
responsibility, and every day brings with
it different challenges, both internal and
external to the business.’
‘I am so proud that we as a Company are publicly
committing to our relationships with Indigenous
people across the world, and supporting their
social and economic empowerment.’
21
Our stories:
Garry
Hughes
A talent for rugby league
brought Garry Hughes to
the town of Moranbah,
Queensland. But the
opportunities working at
Peak Downs are what have
kept him there for 30 years.
This is his story.
Garry grew up in the city of Ipswich,
Queensland, in a family that made its living
running trucks and loaders. He remembers
playing with go-karts and restoring old
cars, as well as playing his favourite sport,
rugby league. Garry’s passion for rugby
league took him to the sleepy mining town
of Moranbah in 1979, where he played
professionally for local team, the Moranbah
Sharks. And while he left Moranbah a
couple of years later, Garry was soon to
return to pursue a career in mining.
‘My first job at Peak Downs was as a Trades
Assistant, fetching tools, helping fitters
and cleaning machinery,’ Garry said. ‘Back
then, that was the role you had before you
moved on to operate machinery.’ After
about four years, he had an opportunity to
work in the Mining department, where he
operated trucks, then loaders.
BHP Billiton
The next few years would see Garry
progress in his career and gain experience
in different departments. ‘In 1991, I became
a Truck/Shovel Supervisor, and during
my time in that role, I introduced the first
shovel to Peak Downs.’ He became the Coal
Mining and Truck/Shovel Superintendent in
1998, and about three and a half years later,
moved on to be a Dragline Superintendent.
22
Although he loves working on machines,
Garry’s calling was managing people.
‘The highlight of my time at Peak Downs
has been the opportunity to move into
more senior positions,’ he said. ‘I wanted
to supervise people. That’s where I knew
I could reach my potential.’ The transition
from being an operator to being a people
manager was smooth. ‘I’m used to
organising things, and I like to be
amongst it,’ he said. His current role
is Superintendent Production
Overburden Draglines.
The biggest change he’s seen at work has
been the introduction of new technologies
and systems. ‘We now monitor each of our
machines – what they’re doing and where
they are – in real-time, and can see all the
data displayed on computer screens,’
Garry said.
In March 2016, he celebrates 31 years of
service, but such a long career with the
Company wasn’t part of Garry’s original
plan. ‘I intended to work for eight years,
and finish up after my long service leave,’
he said. ‘BHP Billiton’s a good company
to work for. It has a great name in the
coal industry, and attracts thousands of
applicants – we’re a chosen employer
for people.’
Indeed, Garry’s father encouraged his son
to apply for a role at Peak Downs, where he
also worked before retirement. And Garry
passed that encouragement onto his own
children – his daughter, Kristen, now works
in Pre-strip, his son, Daniel is an Operator in
Coal Mining and his brother, Paul, is a Fitter
in the Field crew. With such an intimate
knowledge of the operation, and a long
history at Peak Downs, it’s not surprising
Garry was asked to take the BHP Billiton
Board on a site tour when they visited
in July 2015.
Outside of work, he enjoys the Moranbah
lifestyle. ‘We’re just two hours’ drive from
the coast, and the town is very laid back,’
Garry said. ‘The town has grown a lot over
the past few decades, which has also
brought more shops and infrastructure.
Moranbah has also been a good place to
raise a family. The crime levels are low,
people know each other well, and kids
walk home from school. Most people
work at one of the operations – Goonyella
or Peak Downs. It’s a good life.’
‘I wanted to
supervise
people. That’s
where I knew
I could reach
my potential.’
130 years incorporated: our stories
Garry Hughes.
23
Our stories:
Giles
Hellyer
He handed the keys over to
EKATI’s new owners; was
out of his depth speaking
Spanish during a televised
event at Antofagasta (the
scariest moment of his
life); and has witnessed
significant change in our
approach to health, safety
and the environment.
Meet Giles Hellyer.
This is his story.
Giles Hellyer grew up in Tasmania, Australia,
and had what he describes as a ‘normal
childhood’. His first role with our Company
was close to home, at BHP Utah-owned
manganese operation, TEMCO. Keen to
swap careers from being a Fitter and Turner
(which he says he wasn’t very good at) to a
Mechanical Engineer, Giles chose TEMCO
because he was able to study full time
and work as a trainee over the holidays.
He recalls joining the tradespeople in the
smelter for the first time in 1984.
‘TEMCO was my first introduction to
heavy industry,’ Giles said. ‘Up until then
I’d worked in clean, pristine workshop
environments as an apprentice. There was
a lot less precision than I was used to, and
I saw people’s perspectives from different
angles. Like any new graduate, I didn’t
have ambitions to stay with the Company
forever, but it was a good start to
my career.’
BHP Billiton
After TEMCO, Giles spent 10 years in
our Iron Ore Business, where he worked
at Port Hedland and Newman at
Mt Whaleback. There, he progressed from
an entry-level supervisory role to running
crews; and also from maintenance into
mining – a completely different discipline.
24
Giles speaking during an event.
An event at Iron Ore left an indelible mark
on Giles. ‘While I was at Newman, one of
our employees lost their life in an accident
on a shovel whilst fault finding – trying
to determine the reason for a breakdown
event,’ he said. ‘That was a life-changing
moment. I learned about the vulnerability
of human beings and the traumatic effects
of fatality events in the workplace. It
reminded me why I have to put safety front
and centre every day. We have come a
long way as a Company in respect to safety
and risk management thinking, possibly
the most significant shift of all over my
career. This journey is far from over as we
continually seek to improve every day to
make sure everyone returns home safely.’
A move to Chile to work as Maintenance
Manager for one of the world’s largest
open-pit mines, Escondida, was next for
Giles. He said the role was simultaneously
the most challenging and rewarding he’s
had due to the initial language barrier, and
Giles admits to feeling out of his depth at
times in the first 18 months. ‘The scariest
moment of my entire life was giving a
speech at a hotel in Antofagasta in place of
one of my peers who couldn’t attend,’ Giles
recalls. ‘I thought it was just an ordinary
work team recognition event, but when I
showed up, there were senior dignitaries,
media and cameras at the event, and I
realised I would be recorded and televised
in a different language. Fortunately, my
tutor had helped me write and prepare the
speech, so I got through it okay.’
Giles Hellyer.
The next few years would see Giles return
to Iron Ore (Hot Briquette Iron Plant) and
TEMCO, moving between engineering and
production based roles. He then moved
to Olympic Dam as a line Vice President
before moving into a functional role as Vice
President of Health, Safety, Environment
and Community (HSEC). ‘I joined Olympic
Dam when it transformed into our Uranium
Business, or “CSG” as it was known,’ Giles
said. ‘As a functional leader, I learned how
to be a service provider to the line areas.
I also got to work with the Indigenous
populations in and around South Australia.
I spent time with them in their community
and on their land, and learned about
customs and culture, which I wouldn’t
have experienced otherwise. It made
me appreciate Aboriginal culture and
diversity in a way I’d never fully
understood in the past.’
This appreciation helped Giles when he
moved to north-west Canada for a role
as Asset President, EKATI, for Diamonds
and Speciality Products. ‘First Nations
people represented more than 30 per
cent of the workforce at EKATI. It was a
unique experience to reflect upon the
Australian context to see the differences
and possibilities that exist with First Nations
groups in Canada. Our endeavour in this
respect here in Saskatchewan Potash is
really only just starting.’
After farewelling EKATI, Giles moved to
Saskatoon to work in Potash, where he’s
now Vice President, Operations. ‘I feel in
a very privileged position to be part of a
team that seeks to grow what could be the
next major pillar of our Company,’ he said.
‘You can’t beat that for an opportunity and
a challenge.’
‘People were concerned about the new
owner coming in, but they could see the
merits. BHP Billiton’s focus on long life, low
cost commodities, meant diamonds really
didn’t fit in our portfolio. By reinforcing
that perspective, people came to accept
that the new owner would be in a better
position than BHP Billiton to extend the
life of the operation. Although the logo
changed when I handed over the keys, the
people didn’t. The handover was easier
because of the great culture and strong
leaders at EKATI.’
On his own leadership style, Giles said he
tries to do his best every day. ‘Leadership
is something you’ve got to work at all the
time. You have to recognise your own
vulnerabilities. I treat people as equal and
the way I would like to be treated. I try to
have an even temperament and show a
degree of stability. I’ve noticed that the
quality and capability of our leaders has
grown so much from the early days –
there’s been a big shift. I think we’re lucky.’
It’s that sense of purpose that gets Giles up
in the morning, and in the past few years
he’s felt more connected to what we do
as a Company. ‘We provide vital resources
that enable people to emerge out of the
depth of poverty and support growth,’
Giles said. ‘We seek to provide energy in
its most fundamental forms as a Company.
And possibly in the future, with less and
less land available for agriculture, we could
be supplying a vital ingredient in creating
the food energy for a growing population.
What we do makes a difference to society,
and we do it with a tremendous amount
of respect for the environment and our
communities. It’s important to me to work
for a company that is socially significant on
the world stage and has strong values we
can all believe in.’
Despite his long and diverse career, Giles
said the milestone which has had the most
impact on him was his marriage to his wife,
Gaylene, in 1987. They now have three
daughters, Sophia, Amelia and Victoria.
‘My daughters have lived in three different
continents and experienced all forms of
schooling and cultures. They’ve grown up
to be wonderful young women with a very
balanced view of life. I feel very privileged.’
130 years incorporated: our stories
After a few weeks into his new posting,
BHP Billiton confirmed it would sell EKATI,
and Giles was to lead his people through
the change. ‘I was the one who had to
walk out of the Yellowknife office with the
BHP Billiton signs taken off the building
and “hand over the keys” to a new owner,’
Giles remembers.
The fun side of Giles.
25
Our stories:
Kevin
O’Kane
Kevin O’Kane has seen
ups and downs in his
34 year career with
BHP Billiton, and says the
most challenging situations
have been the most
invigorating because they
demonstrate the power of
a group of people who care.
This is his story.
Kevin comes from a family of miners. His
grandfather emigrated from England to
northern Manitoba, Canada, after World
War One, where he worked for 34 years
as an Electrician at a mine. His son,
Kevin’s father, was awarded a university
scholarship to study Chemical Engineering,
a profession that would take him from
Canada to Cuba to the Philippines. Kevin
attended boarding school in Singapore
from age 13 to 17, before heading back
to Canada for university.
Towards the end of his time at Queen’s
University, Kevin saw a sign on the
bulletin board in the mining engineering
department for a job interview with Utah
International. ‘My first reaction was that I
wasn’t sure I wanted to work in the United
States, and while I’d heard of the Island
Copper Mine in British Columbia, I didn’t
know Utah was the owner. But I went for
the interview.’
BHP Billiton
Originally only interested in underground
mining, Kevin was somewhat swayed by
the weather. ‘I had four job offers – three at
underground mines in the north of Canada
and the one at Island Copper. When I went
to site for the interview, in the middle of
winter, the temperature was 14° Celsius
(which is pretty good for Canada!) so I
took the job.’
26
Kevin (second from the left) listens to the
President of Chile speak during a ceremony
marking the reconstruction of the 400 year
old church Cerro Colorado helped rebuild
following the earthquake.
Island Copper Mine is near the town of
Port Hardy on the north end of Vancouver
Island. Kevin intended to stay there for
about two to three years, but that turned
into 12. Shortly after he arrived, however,
copper prices dropped. ‘From 1981 to 1987
copper was about $0.60/lb. Everyone
had to work together for the low grade
mine to survive. It was a small town and
everyone knew one another so we were
all in it together. The operation developed
innovations still used in the industry today.’
Utah International became a wholly-owned
subsidiary of BHP in 1984.
Kevin progressed from a Mine Planning
Engineer to a Mine Operations Foreman,
Drill and Blast Engineer, Geotechnical
Engineer then Chief Mining Engineer.
‘The Island Copper Mine was about people.
The Company took a risk on me and gave
me opportunities to progress. I’ve had
that support through my career with
BHP Billiton.’
Kevin met his wife while working at Island
Copper. She had been transferred to
the operation from BHP’s metallurgical
laboratory in San Francisco, where she had
been working as a Metallurgical Engineer.
Two of their four children were born in
Port Hardy.
Early on, Kevin had the opportunity to
supervise operational employees and
learn what’s important to the people that
operate our plants and equipment. ‘I was
a young supervisor transferred from the
planning department to mine operations,
and my manager at the time told me there
are really only a few things you need to get
right: keep things simple, treat people
with respect and let them grow, and
make sure they are paid correctly
and get their vacation.’
Kevin at the HSEC Awards in 2009.
Kevin at the Island Copper Mine
after its closure.
After Escondida, his next move was to
Cerro Colorado, where he was General
Manager from 2005 to 2007. About eight
months after his arrival, a magnitude 7.9
earthquake struck close to the mine.
‘There was no way in or out for about a
week,’ Kevin said. ‘After we confirmed no
one had been seriously hurt, the challenge
turned into one of the most invigorating
experiences of my career. Although we
didn’t operate at all for about 17 days,
and half the mine didn’t operate for three
months, it was great seeing people working
together for the same purpose. They
stepped up and did what needed to be
done without being asked. We supported
isolated communities by opening roads and
delivering food and we helped to rebuild a
400 year old church. We were a group of
people facing a crisis together. What the
team achieved was amazing.’
Kevin’s current role as Asset President,
Pampa Norte is at least as challenging.
The need to be much more productive
and to significantly reduce costs is now
the challenge in Pampa Norte. ‘We need to
make dramatic improvements to maintain
our operations and to potentially grow. My
experience is that amazing change can be
achieved when there is a common goal,
we work together, and safely we do what
needs to be done.’ Kevin agrees that it’s
people who make things happen, and
that’s one of the reasons he’s been with
BHP Billiton for 34 years. ‘This is the best
mining company to work for because of
the way it treats its people,’ he said. Kevin is
also keen to finish what he’s started. ‘There
are so many important things that can be
done at Pampa Norte, and I don’t want
anyone else to do them!’
130 years incorporated: our stories
In 1993, Kevin and his family relocated to
Antofagasta in northern Chile for Kevin’s
new role as Mine Engineering Manager at
Minera Escondida (Escondida Mine). ‘We
went from northern Vancouver Island, 1.8
metres of rain and green all year round,
to the driest place on earth,’ Kevin said.
‘We arrived with a three and two year old
and our two month old son. There were
many challenges at work, moving to a
new culture, and learning a new language.
Chileans are very hospitable and we
made Antofagasta home.’
One of the highlights of Kevin’s time at
Escondida was building a new processing
plant and cultivating a desirable culture
within the plant. ‘We had 6,000 applicants
for 250 roles. The leadership team came
together and described the behaviours
and interactions that we thought would
make our employees, our team, most
effective, then made this part of our
selection criteria,’ Kevin said. ‘The team
chose people because of who they were,
not who they knew, which made them feel
proud. Most of our training was leader-led.
We built a safe and productive workplace
and organisational culture from the ground
up. It was a transparent and powerful
approach.’ Kevin still shares a special
bond with the people he worked with
during that time.
27
Our stories:
Juan
Vazquez
BHP Billiton
Juan Vazquez is a father to
one year old twins, Emma
and Anna, loves to cook
and runs a few marathons
every year. In his spare
time, he coordinates
the Transformation
journey for Petroleum’s
Conventional and
Exploration businesses.
28
This is his story.
Juan was born in Caracas, Venezuela,
where he went to university and studied
Chemical Engineering. He started his
career in oil and gas with the Venezuelan
National Oil Company PDVSA, then worked
at Exxon Mobil for six and a half years. In
2008, Juan joined BHP Billiton and began
what he calls ‘the best part of his career’.
‘I joined BHP Billiton because it seemed
like a dynamic Company,’ Juan said. ‘We
were in growth mode in the United States
then, and there was a lot of potential in the
businesses. We were barely beginning the
journey of developing the Operating Model
and embedding Our Charter, and I wanted
to participate in shaping the Company.’
After a year and a half in Trinidad as
Engineering Manager, Juan received an
offer that would give him a unique insight
into the inner workings of our Company. He
spent 2010 and 2011 in Melbourne working
as Secretary to the Group Management
Committee (GMC), working closely with
former CEO, Marius Kloppers, and with
our current CEO, Andrew Mackenzie, as
his mentor. ‘It was a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity,’ Juan recalls. ‘I learned how to
think strategically and the long term impact
of the decisions we make today. I learned
the importance of change leadership
and how our senior leaders can impact
the organisation and set the tone for the
business. I also made great friends and
work relationships in Melbourne that have
stood the test of time.’ Juan also learned
about the mining parts of our business, our
marketing model, how we think about our
balance sheet and how we deliver value to
our shareholders.
‘All the GMC members were very generous
with their time and coached me to help me
understand who I am as a leader, the areas
I needed to work on and the strengths I can
leverage,’ Juan said. ‘That coaching helped
me grow and prepare for my next roles.’
Those roles were back in Petroleum
Operations, first managing the operations
of our deep water fields in the Gulf of
Mexico and then in Hawkville, one of the
two assets in the Eagleford shale play of
South Texas. In the Gulf of Mexico Juan
learned about safety leadership in action,
and how empowering our teams at the
‘coal face’ to do the right thing makes us
a stronger company. In Hawkville, Juan
said he saw the needle move in safety and
operational excellence, thanks to his team’s
input and ideas. ‘I love my team. Every
single one of them is great value,’ Juan said.
‘Over the past 12 months I set my team
several challenges and saw them come up
with ideas much more sophisticated and
powerful than I expected. For example,
we had an issue with uptime in Hawkville,
and needed better visibility of well
performance to be able to troubleshoot
and deploy technicians in an optimal
way to bring production back online. The
crew came up with the idea of having a
surveillance centre in our Tilden office,’
Juan said. ‘There, we started using tools
and information already available to
us in a more efficient and smart way.
We reorganised the team and changed
accountabilities to leverage those tools and
data. The cost of the Tilden surveillance
centre was only about US$30,000 to
US$40,000, but it completely turned
our performance around.’
‘The further removed
from the front line
the ideas occur, the
more complex and
less effective they
are. I barely make any
decision without input
from my team in
the field.’
Juan Vazquez with twins,
Emma and Anna.
Juan Vazquez.
Another example of the team stepping
up was when they had to install 300
compressors in one year to keep the
oil and gas wells producing. ‘It was a
complex operation, involving hundreds
of contractors and up to 24 different work
fronts at any given time,’ Juan said. ‘It was a
real team effort. The installation campaign
was injury free and the team’s productivity
improved as we progressed. We had a
couple of near misses along the way that
we thoroughly analysed; it helped us
identify additional measures to strengthen
our control of work practices while being
more productive.’
That style of leadership should stand Juan
in good stead in his current role, which
he started on 1 September 2015, as the
Transformation Program Manager for
Petroleum’s Conventional and
Exploration business.
Juan is no stranger to the transformation
process, having started it in the Eagleford
back in January 2015, and admits he was
sceptical. ‘It was interesting being on the
receiving side of business change,’ Juan
said. ‘I felt myself go through the different
phases of change, like dismissal, denial,
anger and so forth. Then I started to
actually see the value of the change. I saw
the opportunity to improve things that had
never been on the table to change before,
to remove red tape. I started seeing things
that made work safer and more effective.
There was a tipping point where the
team really started believing in
the transformation.’
In the current environment of low
commodity prices, Juan said the way we
lead is more important than ever. ‘It’s so
important to do everything we can and go
the extra mile. It’s easy for us to lose focus,
get distracted and potentially get hurt.
Leaders need to spend a lot of time close
to our operations, listening to what people
have to say. We need to spend more time
leading and less time managing upwards.’
Outside of work, Juan is a family man and
an avid runner. He’s married to his high
school sweetheart, Patty, and he’s the
father of one year old twin girls. He runs
marathons every year, which help him keep
a good work life balance. ‘I take the girls
running with me in their double stroller
three times a week and it’s an amazing
workout,’ he said. Juan also loves to cook
and enjoys coming up with new recipes –
he learned to make lamb tagine
in Morocco, which is now one
of his specialities.
130 years incorporated: our stories
Juan said that over and over again, he’s
learned that the more he engages his team,
the more they come up with innovative
solutions. ‘The further removed from
the front line the ideas occur, the more
complex and less effective they are,’ he
said. ‘I barely make any decision without
input from my team in the field.’
Juan is supporting teams in Australia, the
Gulf of Mexico, Trinidad and Exploration
to safely maximise value from their assets.
‘It’s my role to engage the teams, have
conversations, lead change and help
people bring difficult topics to the table
so we can reach our maximum potential.’
As a Program Manager for Transformation,
the goal is to help embed new, sustainable
ways of working into the business. ‘I’m
looking forward to going back to field
operations and helping teams achieve even
greater levels of operational excellence.’
29
BHP Billiton Centre
171 Collins Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
Telephone 1300 554 757 (within Australia)
+61 3 9609 3333 (outside Australia)
Facsimile +61 3 9609 3015
www.bhpbilliton.com