Tom Albanese

2009 Inductee into the American Mining Hall of Fame

Tom Albanese is the Chief Executive of Rio Tinto, with effect from May 1, 2007.

Tom was born in 1957 and grew up in New Jersey. In 1975 he attended the University of Alaska in Fairbanks where he received a bachelor's degree in mineral economics and, two years later, a master's degree in mining engineering.

He held a number of positions with Nerco Minerals, and was chief executive officer at the time of its acquisition by Rio Tinto in 1993.

Later that year he was appointed general manager of Rio Tinto's Greens Creek gold, silver, zinc and lead mine on Admiralty Island, Alaska, where he led a team that was working to develop a newly discovered high grade ore body at the mine.

He moved to London in 1995 where he took up the post of Group exploration executive. Three years later he became vice president of Kennecott Utah Copper at the Bingham Canyon copper mine outside Salt Lake City.

When Rio Tinto acquired a majority holding in North Ltd in Australia in 2000 Tom transferred to Melbourne as its managing director. In this role he oversaw strategic reviews of North's operations and the integration of its key businesses into Rio Tinto's product group structure.

He was appointed chief executive of Rio Tinto's Industrial Minerals group based in London, with responsibility for the Group's borates, potash, salt, talc and titanium dioxide operations, before becoming chief executive, Copper and Exploration, in 2004.

He became director, Group Resources in 2006, with responsibility for Exploration, Operational and Technical Excellence, Human Resources, External Relations and Global Business Services, and joined the board of directors on March 7, 2006.

Tom has held a number of appointments including Director of Ivanhoe Mines Limited, Director of Palabora Mining Company and Member of the Executive Committee of the International Copper Association.

Tom is married with two children.

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