South32 hires Anglo American exec to replace long-serving CEO Kerr
South32 Ltd on Monday saud Chief Executive Officer Graham Kerr will step down in 2026 after over a decade at the helm, replaced by a recruit from peer Anglo American PLC.
The Perth-based miner said Matthew Daley will join as deputy CEO on February 2, 2026. Daley will take over as CEO after Kerr exits later next year.
Kerr became CEO in October 2014, before South32’s stock market listing in May 2015 following its demerger from BHP Group Ltd.
Daley is the technical & operations director at Anglo American. He joined in 2017 as group head of mining. Prior to Anglo American, he was the executive general manager for Glencore PLC’s Canadian copper division.
South32 said on Monday the appointment of Daley followed a ‘comprehensive’ global search, which included the evaluation of internal and external candidates.
‘As we embark on this leadership transition, I want to recognise the outstanding contribution Graham has made over a decade of service through the company’s demerger from BHP and the subsequent transformation of its portfolio,’ South32 Chair Karen Wood said.
‘Matthew is a highly accomplished executive with extensive operational and leadership experience, including in copper and in the Americas, and the board is confident he is the right successor for Graham,’ Wood said.
Anglo American separately on Monday said it has appointed Tom McCulley as technical director to replace Daley, with immediate effect.
Shares in South32 were up 3.6% to R 33.55 on Monday morning in Johannesburg. They were up 4.6% to 140.20 pence in London.
Copyright 2025 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.