Rio Tinto Group has promoted Simon Trott, the long-time head of its iron ore division, to chief executive officer, effective 25 August. Trott, 50, succeeds Jakob Stausholm and will relocate from Perth to London for the role, the miner said on Tuesday. Trott has spent more than two decades at Rio Tinto and has led the company’s most profitable business since 2021, bringing its largest new iron-ore mine in over a decade into production. Chair Dominic Barton said the board and the incoming CEO are "aligned" on extracting more value from the existing portfolio through sharper operational performance and cost control. The leadership change comes as the Anglo-Australian miner continues efforts to repair its corporate culture after the 2020 destruction of the Juukan Gorge heritage site and a 2022 report detailing bullying, racism and sexual harassment across its operations. Trott will also face investor pressure to improve ore quality and rein in rising costs. Analysts described the internal promotion as a low-risk move that prioritises continuity in Rio Tinto’s main cash-generating business. RBC’s Kaan Peker said Trott’s deep knowledge of the iron-ore market should support free cash flow, although any large-scale merger or acquisition activity is seen as unlikely before mid-2026.