09:59 AM EDT, 09/19/2025 (MT Newswires) -- (Updates with BHP Group's ( BHP ) response in the fourth paragraph.)

BHP Group ( BHP ) is likely to appoint the first female chief executive in its 140-year history, with Geraldine Slattery, head of the company's Australian division, emerging as the lead candidate, the Financial Times said Friday, citing people familiar with the board's thinking.

Current CEO Mike Henry is expected to step down by the middle of 2026, after spending five years in the role, the report said, adding that the BHP's board was "not in a rush" to make a change.

Other contenders for the CEO job include Vandita Pant, the company's chief financial office, chief commercial officer Ragnar Udd, and Brandon Craig, BHP's head of the Americas, according to the report.

BHP declined to comment when contacted by MT Newswires.

(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

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