CEO Message – Let The Games Begin!
Over the next 16 days the world’s best athletes will be digging deep, putting their years of hard work, sacrifice and dedication on the line, to go faster, higher and further than they’ve ever gone before. It’s fitting then that the object of their single minded pursuit is a small piece of BHP Billiton – an Olympic medal, for which we too, have been digging deep.
As the Official Diversified Minerals and Medals Sponsor of the Beijing Olympic Games, 13,000 employees have been hard at work resourcing these medals – sometimes digging up to a kilometre deep to find the gold, silver and copper required to make in excess of 6,000 Olympic and Paralympic medals.
We take great pride in these medals and indeed our Olympic journey that has seen us help share the spirit of the Games with staff and communities around the world. Approximately 49,000 staff and 133,000 family, friends and community members have all participated in one of BHP Billiton’s 185 Olympic celebrations, held in 25 countries around the world, including Africa, The Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia.
As 08:08:08 (CST) ticks over tonight and as the world turns it s attention to Beijing, we look forward to continue sharing these historic Games with you.
Marius Kloppers
Chief Executive Officer