My name is Lindsey Hughson
But since I can remember my nickname has been Angus
That’s probably because I stand 6’4″ and weigh 120 kgs
A friend once said I resembled an Angus bull, and it stuck
There’s an old saying that you can choose your friends, but you don’t get to choose your nickname
My career began when I graduated with degrees in civil engineering & mathematics
In 1991, I was appointed President of BHP’s global diamond business.
Between 1991and 2001, I took BHP Diamonds from 2% to 51% marketshare in the global diamond business, eventually overtaking DeBeers – which had been the market leader for over 150 years.
In 2001, BHP Diamonds was valued at $6 billion
While in that position, I became the company’s change agent, responsible for bringing the massive old multi-billion dollar mining company into the internet age
After retiring from BHP Diamonds, I began a new career as a serial entrepreneur.
“The world’s number one diversified miner began tackling fierce rival Anglo American-De Beers in the high stakes marketing end of the business” – Business Review Weekly
While selling diamonds online certainly went against BHP’s once stodgy corporate image, the plan was actually part of a broader e-commerce initiative that is focused mainly around minerals and metals marketplaces
Within two years, BHP began to transact all of its business online across minerals, petroleum and steel including buying and selling.
Indeed, the company took a lead role with 14 other mining and metals companies in establishing a global Mining and Metals Procurement Market Place that bought together producers and suppliers in more than 100 countries.
The BHP Ekati Mine is situated above the Arctic Circle in Canada’s Northwest Territories.
Ekati commenced production in 1998 and became Canada’s first surface and underground diamond mine. Ekati supplied rough diamonds to the global market through its sorting and selling operations in Canada, Belgium, and India.
Since the start of mining, Ekati has produced over 70 million carats of rough diamonds valued at $8 billion.
In 2013, BHP sold its ownership of Ekati to Dominion Diamond Mines
BHP Billiton’s ownership and technical expertise played a crucial role in establishing Ekati as one of the world’s largest, and most profitable, diamond mines.
In a move that shocked the business world, BHP Diamonds formulated plans to float the diamond brand as a stand alone business, and planned to move BHP into global retailing on a huge scale
On the 6th of September 2001 Business Report said:
“Lindsay Hughson, the president of BHP Diamonds, said the public float was a key long-term goal for BHP Billiton. He said the share sale would first involve the rollout of 500 North American retail stores. That move put BHP in direct competition with the De Beers-LVMH joint venture, which would create a new company focused on the premium diamond jewellery market”
Sales targets for the planned network of 500 branches were set at $2 billion a year..
As the person who was shaking up the global diamond market, I was also the featured speaker at the World Diamond Conference in Vancouver
BHP’s diamond output was marketed and sold through its global diamond brand AURIAS
As a subsidiary of BHP, a globally recognized mining and resources company, AURIAS established itself as a trusted global diamond brand, offering exquisite diamonds that embody elegance, quality, and sustainability.
AURIAS won many industry awards due to its dedication to responsible sourcing, and its unique approach to crafting remarkable diamonds.
BHP Diamonds large team of expert gemologists and diamond cutters employed their expertise and experience to ensure that only the finest diamonds were marketed under the AURIAS brand, based on strict criteria such as cut, clarity, color, and carat weight.
Mining equipment used to construct the mine consisted of Driltech D90KS blasthole drills, Demag H655SO diesel-hydraulic shovels, 10 x Caterpillar D10R bulldozers, 13 x 240t Cat haul trucks, 3 x 170t Cat 793 haul trucks, 11 x 100t Cat 777D haul trucks, Cat 994 loaders, Cat 5120 hydraulic excavators and Cat 992 loaders
In January 2000, BHP Billiton established a joint venture with me to create its own brand development entity ‘Yellow. A Division of Blue’.
I held 51% of Yellow shares, with BHP holding 49%.
‘Yellow. A Division of Blue’ was tasked with establishing strong industry brands for BHP’s core multi-billion dollar mineral divisions – iron ore, copper, nickel, potash, petroleum and metallurgical coal
I was appointed President of ‘Yellow. A Division of Blue’ at its inception, and I held that position, as well as President of BHP Diamonds until I retired from BHP in 2002.
After my retirement as President of BHP Diamonds in 2002 at the age of 41, I bought a large organic farm in the hinterland of the idylic Australian surfing town of Crescent Head.
However, instead of taking up many offered board positions at ASX 200 companies, I started my second career as a serial entrapeneur and venture capitalist.
In 2004, based on my lifelong interest in sustainable water security, permaculture and aquaculture, I created Big Ditch Dam Building Company.
Since then, we have built Big Ditch into the leading global water security construction company and corporate consultancy – working globally in such places as USA, Mexico, Canada, Dubai, UAE, China and Nigeria.
Big Ditch has established itself as a frontrunner in the field of dam construction. With its unwavering commitment to engineering excellence, superior project management, and a strong focus on environmental sustainability, the company has left an indelible mark on the industry.
Big Ditch has won many global awards including Winner / Best Dam Building Company Construction & Engineering Awards London, Winner / Best Water Security Company Australian Enterprise Awards Melbourne, Winner / Best Dam Building Company Australian Enterprise Awards Melbourne, Winner / Dam Builder of the Year International Elite 100 London, Winner / Global Climate Change Innovation Innovation and Excellence Awards London, Winner / Best Global Dam Building Company International M&A Awards New York, Winner / Best Dam Construction Specialists 6th Annual Global Construction and Engineering Awards Singapore.