BHP’s Next Leader Faces Same Problems in Deal-Obsessed Industry

BHP Group has picked the continuity candidate for its next boss: A life-long company man who has spent quarter of a century at the biggest miner, honing his skills in iron ore and copper, its most important products.

But just like his predecessor, Brandon Craig will have to navigate an industry under pressure to grow — placing bets on deals as a means to get there, or continuing along BHP’s stated path of building more mines.

In his first comments since being unveiled as chief executive officer-elect, Craig sent a message that echoed his predecessor Mike Henry, as he ...