The change will take effect from April 12.

Wood joined the South32 board in November 2017 as an independent non-executive director and a member of the remuneration committee, sustainability committee and nomination and governance committee.

She was previously on BHP's executive team from 2001 until she retired in 2014 in the roles of group company secretary, chief people officer and president people and public affairs.

She is also a director at Djerriwarrh Investments and the Robert Salzer Foundation, and was the inaugural chair of the independent charity, BHP Foundation, where she is still a director.