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Business as usual
Paul Skinner, who took over from Sir Robert Wilson as Group chairman at the end of October, talks to Peter Brigg about his 40 year career in the oil and chemicals industry and his new role at the helm of Rio Tinto.

When an 18 year old Paul Skinner went up to Pembroke College, Cambridge, on a Shell scholarship in 1963, the plan was that he would study natural sciences. It was not long, though, before he had to make a painful choice between giving full rein to his sporting talents - he played soccer for the university - and putting in the long hours that were needed in the laboratory.

The solution involved some smart lateral thinking: enjoy the sport and take a law degree instead. As a result, he left Cambridge in 1966 with a soccer "Blue" and an understanding of law that has proved useful throughout his business career.

That career now culminates in his taking over the chairmanship of the Rio Tinto Group, a prospect that he says he views with "great excitement".

"It's an enormous privilege to find myself in this role," he says. "From my first contacts with Rio Tinto I could see that it was a very high quality company in terms of its people, its asset base and its commitment to value creation and sustainable development. Its values are ones with which I personally feel very comfortable."

Skinner, 59 this Christmas Eve 2003, joined Rio Tinto's board two years ago as a non executive director. Since then, he has visited several of the Group's operations and he plans, over the course of the coming year, to go to see many of the rest.



Business as usual Paul Skinner, who took over from Sir Robert Wilson as Group chairman at the end of October, talks to Peter Brigg about his 40 year career in the oil and chemicals industry and his new role at the helm of Rio Tinto. When an 18 year old Paul Skinner went up to Pembroke College, Cambridge, on a Shell scholarship in 1963, the plan was that he would study natural sciences. It was not long, though, before he had to make a painful choice between giving full rein to his sporting talents - he played soccer for the university - and putting in the long hours that were needed in the laboratory. The solution involved some smart lateral thinking: enjoy the sport and take a law degree instead. As a result, he left Cambridge in 1966 with a soccer "Blue" and an understanding of law that has proved useful throughout his business career. That career now culminates in his taking over the chairmanship of the Rio Tinto Group, a prospect that he says he views with "great excitement". "It's an enormous privilege to find myself in this role," he says. "From my first contacts with Rio Tinto I could see that it was a very high quality company in terms of its people, its asset base and its commitment to value creation and sustainable development. Its values are ones with which I personally feel very comfortable." Skinner, 59 this Christmas Eve 2003, joined Rio Tinto's board two years ago as a non executive director. Since then, he has visited several of the Group's operations and he plans, over the course of the coming year, to go to see many of the rest.
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Review is published by Rio Tinto, 6 St James' Square, London SW1Y 4LD, England Telephone +44 (0)20 7930 2399 Editor: Cherry DeGeer