Rio Executive Firing Linked to Internal CEO Feud, Says Conde

  • Rio fired Davies in November amid probe into consultant fee
  • Guinean President Conde says Rio consultant had no influence

Alpha Conde.

Photographer: Jason Alden/Bloomberg
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The President of Guinea is disputing public statements made by Rio Tinto Group regarding the firing of a senior executive for a $10.5 million payment made to the president’s friend Francois de Combret.

President Alpha Conde said the firing of Alan Davies, who headed Rio’s $20 billion Simandou iron ore project in Guinea, was the result of an internal feud. Rio has said it was because of improper payments to de Combret in 2011 for assisting the company’s negotiations with Conde on the mine.

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Rio Executive Firing Linked to Internal CEO Feud, Says Conde