Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (Fortescue, ASX: FMG) today advises Mrs Fiona Hick, most recently Executive Vice President Australian Operations of Woodside Energy, will join Fortescue as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Fortescue Metals in February 2023. Fiona will report to the Fortescue Board, along with Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) CEO, Mr Mark Hutchinson.
Fiona, along with Mark, will lead Fortescue in its transition to a truly global green metals and energy company. Fiona will deliver Fortescue’s global metals strategy – to be the most successful iron ore operator in the world, to lead exploration and development into critical minerals and rare earths, and to decarbonise Fortescue in partnership with FFI, creating significant additional value for shareholders.
Fiona said her decision to join was driven by a deep commitment to grow Fortescue into an innovative global green metals and energy company and leading the way for the world’s most climate responsible heavy industry companies.
“I have enjoyed and grown immensely during my 20 years in energy. I am as committed to the new future of the world as Andrew is. We must provide the metals and the energy which will help to accelerate the energy transition. I join with, and commit to, Andrew and Fortescue’s vision of becoming the leading green metals and energy company globally.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I come into this role with an enormous and exciting project pipeline to continue to grow and execute for Fortescue. I am excited to deliver our vision with the entire Fortescue family, working closely with an amazingly supportive Chairman and Board.”
Fortescue Founder and Executive Chairman, Dr Andrew Forrest AO, said this coming year would mark 20 years of Fortescue.
“As one of the most respected iron ore companies in the world we are now transitioning to a global green metals and energy, manufacturing and technology business. We are looking forward to Fiona joining us, a deeply respected and experienced executive, to help lead us to step beyond fossil fuels, making our company ever stronger and always creating additional value for shareholders.
“Fortescue has only had three Chief Executives since it was founded in 2003. We welcome Fiona in our 20th year to lead our green metals company.
“Fiona’s highly strategic operational mind and her easy natural leadership of people is typical of a character that is always vulnerable to new ideas. This is critical in the constant search for simplicity and streamlining that is Fortescue. Fiona has the natural humility and adaptiveness to flourish in Fortescue’s rare leadership environment through values, as opposed to command and control. Fiona has the right personality to lead our metals organisation.
“One year ago, we began this search and carefully scoured the globe. I am so thrilled to have found someone so close to home that knows the Pilbara like the back of her hand and that will love this company as much as we all do. Fiona will lead Fortescue Metals into the next phase, potentially the most exciting and fruitful of our company’s highly active history.
“Together Fiona and Mark will take Fortescue into its next phase and into being the leading global green metals and energy company in the world.”
Fiona is a very experienced executive having held several senior operational leadership roles in Woodside Energy over the last 20 years including in engineering; health, safety, environment and quality and strategy, planning and analysis. She is responsible for all of Woodside’s operations across Australia including operating and assimilating into Woodside the Australian energy assets of BHP.
Fiona is the current President of the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia, a Member of the Strategic Resources Committee of the University of Western Australia, and a past Chair of the Environmental Science Committee of the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association. She is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and holds a Bachelor of Applied Science and Energy Studies from Murdoch University and Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) from the University of Western Australia. She is an Associate Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and a Fellow of the Institute of Engineers. She won the 2019 Chamber of Minerals and Energy Western Australia’s Outstanding Woman in Resources Award. Prior to joining Woodside, Fiona worked for five years with Rio Tinto, both in corporate and site-based operational roles in the Pilbara.
Dr Forrest founded Fortescue from a start-up shell in 2003, carefully building it into the most efficient iron ore company in the world. In his current role as Executive Chairman, Dr Forrest is driving and preparing the company for its unique mission to turn Fortescue green by 2030, ensuring the first mover advantage created over the past several years is fully realised for shareholders.
