Rio Tinto energy chief appointed chairman of World Coal Assn

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The executive assumed the position on May 28, replacing China’s Shenhua Group chairman Zhang Xiwu, the WCA said on Tuesday June 3.

Rio Tinto’s energy portfolio includes thermal coal, coking coal and uranium with operations in Australia, Mozambique and Namibia.

“I’m honoured to have been appointed and look forward to engaging robustly in the debate about how the world’s growing energy needs will be met, whilst also addressing the need to tackle the very real issue of climate change. It is a complex dilemma with no easy solutions,” Kenyon-Slaney said in the statement.

In addition, the WCA-appointed China Coal chairman Wang An, Glencore Xstrata’s head of coal assets Peter Freyberg and Shenhua ceo Zhang Yuzhuo as vice chairmen.

The new executive committee also include Anglo American’s Seamus French, Arch Coal’s Deck Slone, Bowie Resource Partners’ Manie Dreyer, Caterpillar Global Mining’s Janpeter Bekkering, Joy Global’s Ted Doheny, Peabody Energy’s Fredrick Palmer, and WCA ceo Milton Catelin.