BHP has named Adrian Wood as its next chief financial officer, the latest senior change since Brandon Craig became chief executive on July 1. Wood takes up the role on February 17, 2027, the day after BHP releases its half-year results. Vandita Pant steps down as CFO at those results and remains with the company until March 29, 2027 to support the transition, after which she returns to the United Kingdom, according to a person familiar with the matter cited by Bloomberg.
Wood is an internal appointment with a projects background. He joined BHP in 2015 and is currently vice president of projects for Minerals Australia, having previously served as vice president of finance for the same division and as group investor relations officer. He brings more than 25 years of experience across investment banking and corporate roles in Australia and the United Kingdom, including positions with UBS in London and Macquarie Group. Craig said Wood’s track record in financial management, strategic thinking and commercial work would support delivery of BHP’s strategy.
Pant leaves after a decade at the group. She joined in 2016 as group treasurer and head of Europe, became chief commercial officer in 2019 and later took the finance role. Craig credited her with strengthening BHP’s approach to capital allocation and delivering healthy shareholder returns while funding growth. She is the second senior executive to depart since Craig’s appointment, following chief commercial officer Ragnar Udd’s move to Albemarle.
The timing matters for what the finance office must fund. BHP is directing capital toward copper growth and major projects including potash while running a cost program across the portfolio, and its shares rose 1.16 percent to $82.06 in the latest market tables. Putting the Minerals Australia projects chief into the CFO seat signals that project delivery discipline, rather than deal-making, is the priority for the next capital cycle.