Mitsui & Co. bets big on former Rio Tinto CEO

Resource magnate Sam Walsh becomes Japanese company's external director

20170414_Sam_Walsh

Sam Walsh

MIWA NARUSE, Nikkei staff writer

TOKYO -- Japanese trading house Mitsui & Co. stunned the market by announcing on March 22 that Sam Walsh, who just stepped down as chief executive officer of British-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto last July, will become its external director in June.

Walsh spent about twenty years in the auto industry after graduating from university, and held senior roles with General Motors and Nissan Australia. He joined Rio Tinto in 1991.

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