Melbourne – BHP Group Ltd. confirmed that Rag Udd, the company’s chief commercial officer, will depart the firm at the end of January 2027 to pursue an opportunity outside the organization. The announcement came via an internal staff memo seen by Reuters.

Three decades of service

Udd, who is based in Singapore, will have spent roughly 30 years with BHP when he leaves. He has overseen some of the miner’s most sensitive commercial relationships, most notably the negotiations with China Mineral Resources Group (CMRG) over iron‑ore sales. Those talks have been fraught, with CMRG applying pressure that led to temporary bans on steel‑mill purchases late last year until a new agreement was reached in April.

Implications for China iron‑ore deals

Negotiating iron‑ore contracts with China is a cornerstone of BHP’s revenue stream, and the company’s new chief executive, Brandon Craig, who assumed the role in July, will need to appoint a successor who can manage that relationship effectively. Industry analysts have noted that the chief commercial officer role is one of the most demanding positions at the miner, given the strategic importance of Chinese demand.

Previous leadership roles

Before taking on the global commercial portfolio, Udd led BHP’s Americas division from 2020 to 2024. In that capacity he oversaw the development of the Jansen potash project in Canada, slated to begin production mid‑2025, and directed major investments in BHP’s Chilean copper operations, including the Spence expansion and the Escondida mine, the world’s largest copper producer.

Next steps for BHP

The company said it will begin a search for a new chief commercial officer immediately, emphasizing that continuity in its China negotiations remains a top priority. BHP did not comment further on Udd’s future plans.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.