Jacques Nasser, the former Ford supremo, who acquired the nickname for his controversial cost-cutting efforts at the carmaker, is going to chair BHP Billiton as it completes the merger of its Australian iron-ore business with Rio Tinto and continues with its price dispute with Chinese steel mills.
Nasser joined the BHP Billiton board as a nonexecutive director in 2006 and is a member of the board’s risk and audit committee.
BHP said the decision to appoint Nasser was made after a rigorous 18-month selection process. International recruitment firm Heidrick & Struggles was appointed as an independent adviser to assist BHP in evaluating both internal and external candidates.
Read more at http://www.forbes.com/2009/08/04/bhp-chairman-appointment-markets-equities-nasser.html.