Charles Thorne

Biography

Dr. Charles Grant Thorne, Ph.D., is Independent Non-Executive Director of Downer EDI Ltd., since July 1, 2010. Dr Thorne has over 36 years’ experience in the mining and extraction industry, specifically in senior operational and executive roles with Rio Tinto. His experience spanned a range of product groups and functional activities in Australia and overseas. After serving in London as Group Mining Executive from 1996 to 1998, Dr Thorne moved to Indonesia as President Director of Kaltim Prima Coal and then returned to Australia to manage Rio Tinto’s Australian coal business as Managing Director of Rio Tinto Coal Australia and the publicly listed Coal and Allied Industries. He was President of the Queensland Resources Council in 2001-2003. In 2006, Dr Thorne was appointed global head of Rio Tinto’s technology, innovation and project engineering functions, reporting to the Chief Executive. He was a member of Rio Tinto’s Executive Committee and Investment Committee. He retired from Rio Tinto in 2011. Dr Thorne is a Director of Spotless Group Holdings Limited and a former Director of Wesley Research Institute, JK Tech and Queensland Energy Resources Limited. He is a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Dr Thorne also holds directorships with a number of private companies. He holds Bachelor and Doctoral degrees in Metallurgy from the University of Queensland and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.   Dr. Charles Grant Thorne, Ph.D., is Independent Non-Executive Director of Downer EDI Ltd., since July 1, 2010. Dr Thorne has over 36 years’ experience in the mining and extraction industry, specifically in senior operational and executive roles with Rio Tinto. His experience spanned a range of product groups and functional activities in Australia and overseas. After serving in London as Group Mining Executive from 1996 to 1998, Dr Thorne moved to Indonesia as President Director of Kaltim Prima Coal and then returned to Australia to manage Rio Tinto’s Australian coal business as Managing Director of Rio Tinto Coal Australia and the publicly listed Coal and Allied Industries. He was President of the Queensland Resources Council in 2001-2003. In 2006, Dr Thorne was appointed global head of Rio Tinto’s technology, innovation and project engineering functions, reporting to the Chief Executive. He was a member of Rio Tinto’s Executive Committee and Investment Committee. He retired from Rio Tinto in 2011. Dr Thorne is a Director of Spotless Group Holdings Limited and a former Director of Wesley Research Institute, JK Tech and Queensland Energy Resources Limited. He is a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Dr Thorne also holds directorships with a number of private companies. He holds Bachelor and Doctoral degrees in Metallurgy from the University of Queensland and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.  

Research Interest

Chemical Engineering Chemical Technology