Management changes

Rio Tinto PLC
07 March 2006




Appointment of new director


Rio Tinto today appointed Tom Albanese as an executive director with immediate
effect.


Tom will remain chief executive of the Copper group and of Exploration until 1
July 2006, when he will be appointed director, Group Resources. In this new
position he will be responsible for Exploration, Operational and Technical
Excellence, Human Resources, External Affairs, and Global Business Services.


Since joining the Rio Tinto Group in 1993, Tom has held a number of senior
executive roles and was chief executive of the Industrial Minerals group from
2000 to 2004 before assuming his current position.


Bret Clayton, currently president and chief executive officer of Kennecott
Energy in the US, will succeed Tom as chief executive of the Copper group.



Note to editors:



Tom Albanese, age 48, joined Rio Tinto in 1993 and was appointed chief
executive, Copper and Exploration in 2004. He holds a bachelor's degree in
mineral economics and a master's in mining engineering. Before joining Rio
Tinto, Tom held a number of positions with Nerco Corporation.



Following the acquisition of Nerco by Kennecott Corporation in 1993, Tom became
general manager of the Greens Creek mine in Alaska. In 1995 he transferred to
Rio Tinto's headquarters in London as Group Exploration executive. He returned
to the US in 1998 as vice president, Engineering and Technical services at
Kennecott. In 2000, he managed the transition of the North acquisition as
managing director, North Limited.



Tom was chief executive of the Industrial Minerals product group from 2000 to
2004.



Bret Clayton, age 44, joined the Group in June 1994. He was appointed chief
executive of Kennecott Energy in 2002. Before joining Rio Tinto Bret spent nine
years at PricewaterhouseCoopers consulting and auditing to the minerals
industry. He holds a BA in accounting.



Two years after joining the Group he transferred to London to work in the
Controllers Department. In 1998 he became head of Financial Planning and
Reporting in London. He was transferred to Hamersley Iron in Australia as
general manager Commercial in 2000 and later took on the additional role of
general manager Finance for the broader Iron Ore product group.





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