BHP (BHP) is preparing to begin the search for a new chief executive officer to succeed Mike Henry in the coming months, Bloomberg reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

A leadership change could occur as soon as early next year, according to the news outlet. Some top executives have already begun stepping up engagement with investors and stakeholders ahead of the anticipated succession process.

Internal contenders for the CEO role include Geraldine Slattery, who leads BHP's Australian mining operations, Chief Financial Officer Vandita Pant, and Ragnar Udd, who heads the commercial team. The search is also expected to consider external candidates, the report added.

BHP didn't immediately respond to a request for comment by MT Newswires.

(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

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