Sam Walsh

Sam Walsh was appointed Chair of Gold Corporation on 1 January 2019. He is Chair of the Accenture Global Mining Council (UK), the Australian Council for the Arts, the Perth Diocesan Trust, and the Royal Flying Doctor Service (WA Ops) and is a Non-Executive Director of Mitsui & Co (Japan).

Sam held the position of Chief Executive of Rio Tinto Plc and Ltd from January 2013 to July 2016, when he retired after 25 years with the international mining group. Prior to this, he had commenced his career in the automotive industry where he held senior leadership roles for General Motors and Nissan Australia for 20 years.

Sam has played a key role in charity, community and business associations in Australia and the United Kingdom.

In recognition of his distinguished service to the mining industry and the community of Western Australia, Sam was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2010 and announced Western Australia Citizen of the Year (Industry and Commerce) in 2007.

Sam is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management, the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and the UK Institute of Directors. He is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply, the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, and was previously Treasurer of the International Council on Mining and Metals.

He has a Bachelor of Commerce from Melbourne University and has completed a Fellowship Program at Kettering University in Michigan. Sam has an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Western Australia and from Edith Cowan University in Perth. He has been recognised with a Graduate of Distinction, Life Time Achievement Award from the University of Melbourne, and an Honorary Fellowship from Melbourne Business School. He is the recipient of the AusIMM Institute Medal and is a former Visiting Fellow at Oxford University.