BHP's new chairman seeks tighter spending plans

Melbourne

BHP Billiton Ltd's moves to ditch its US shale assets and halt a rush into the potash market signal an era of more disciplined spending under the top miner's incoming chairman.

Montreal-born Kenneth MacKenzie, 53, who takes up the post next month, is viewed by investors and analysts as more likely to focus on investment returns, after influencing BHP's decisions to exit shale and delay proceeding on the US$4.7 billion first phase of the Jansen project in Canada.