(Alliance News) - Anglo American PLC on Wednesday said its technical director, Tony O'Neill, has decided to retire.

The London-based mining company said O'Neill will step down from his role at the end of 2022 after more than nine years. He joined in 2013.

Following O'Neill's departure, the role will be divided into two to "facilitate the next phase of prioritisation for Anglo American's technical disciplines to best support business performance", the company explained.

The company said Matt Daley will become group technical director from January 1. Anglo added that the process to appoint group projects & development director is "well advanced".

Daley has been the group head of mining since 2017. He has more than two decades of underground, open cut, smelting, refining, project and commodity trading experience.

Prior to Anglo American, he was the executive general manager for Glencore Canada, owned by Glencore PLC, and served as a non-executive director on the board of PolyMet Mining Corp, a copper ores company.

Commenting on O'Neill's departure, Chief Executive Duncan Wanblad said: "Given how critical the products of mining are to people's everyday lives and to the urgent energy transition, it is our duty to supply those products responsibly. Tony has set us squarely on that path to fundamentally change for the better how our stakeholders experience mining."

Shares were up 1.2% at 3,325.00 pence each on Wednesday morning in London.

By Xindi Wei; xindiwei@alliancenews.com

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