BHP's top leadership announce the appointment of Mike Henry as its new Chief Executive from January 1, 2020, at a news conference at BHP's Melbourne headquarters, Australia November 14, 2019. REUTERS/Melanie Burton

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Global miner BHP Group Ltd BHP.AXBHPB.L on Thursday appointed 16-year company veteran Mike Henry as its new chief executive from Jan. 1 next year, replacing Andrew Mackenzie.

- A Canadian, Henry started at BHP in 2003 in business development before moving to marketing and trading commodities based in The Hague, where he also managed BHP’s ocean freight operations.

- Since 2016, he has been BHP’s Australian head, responsible for its vast iron ore, coal, copper and nickel assets in the country, leading nearly 40,000 people.

- “We will unlock even greater value from our ore bodies and petroleum basins by enabling our people with the capability, data and technology to innovate and improve,” Henry said.

- Safety and social license are expected to be key focus areas for Henry, who is vice chair of industry lobby group, the Minerals Council of Australia.

- BHP said Henry cut the frequency of high potential injuries in Minerals Australia by 60 percent, while the business nearly doubled its number of female employees, and increased indigenous employment from 4.1 percent to 5 per cent.

- Henry holds a Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) from the University of British Columbia and lives in Melbourne with his wife of 30 years. He and his wife have two adult daughters who live in Canada.

- Henry’s base salary will be $1.7 million per annum. Some 75 per cent of his target remuneration will come in the form of incentive plans, and only 25 per cent in fixed pay.