Debra Valentine

Group executive, Legal & External Affairs

BA (History), JD

Skills and experience: Debra was appointed Group executive, Legal & External Affairs in October 2009, having joined Rio Tinto as global head of Legal in January 2008. Debra previously worked at United Technologies Corporation in the US where she was vice president, deputy general counsel and secretary. Before then, she was a partner with the law firm O'Melveny & Myers, in Washington DC. Debra served as general counsel at the US Federal Trade Commission from 1997 to 2001.

External appointments (current and recent): Member, Council on Foreign Relations since 1993, American Law Institute since 1991, commissioner, Congressional Antitrust Modernisation Commission from 2004 to 2007.