Rio Tinto has recently announced a set of board changes, effective from 23 October 2025. According to the company spokesperson, this reshuffle brings an end to a transitional period in which the board briefly ran at 14 directors to preserve continuity while newer members settled in. The company said the adjustments fulfil its disclosure obligations under UK listing rules.
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Leadership updates mark a new phase in governance alignment and sustainability focus
The new board also consists of several old members who have been long-time associates of the company and have excelled in terms of expertise and experience. Simultaneously, the company has welcomed several new faces.
Long-serving director Simon Henry stepped down after serving on the board since April 2017, handing over the chairmanship of the Audit & Risk Committee to Sharon Thorne.
Martina Merz has also left the board to devote more time to building innovation ecosystems and other supervisory roles.
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Ben Wyatt has been appointed Senior Independent Director of Rio Tinto Group, a role designed to strengthen board engagement with the company’s Australian operations.
Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz joins the Sustainability Committee in place of Martina Merz; she will continue as the designated non-executive director for workforce engagement and brings a track record in cultural change and diversity initiatives.
The latest appointments highlight Rio Tinto’s transition to a more lean and strategically aligned board, which will surely strengthen the company’s governance and sustainable growth agenda into 2026.
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