Top lawyer behind £36bn BHP class action battle in shock exit ahead of ruling
Tom Goodhead, chief executive and co-founder of London-based Pogust Goodhead, has stepped away from the role. Chief operating officer Alicia Alinia has taken over.
The leadership change comes at a critical moment for the firm as it awaits a ruling from the High Court regarding its £36billion class-action lawsuit against Anglo-Australian mining giant BHP.
The case concerns the collapse of the Samarco dam in Brazil, which killed 19 people and contaminated waterways and land spanning several villages in 2015.
An internal memo from the firm said Goodhead was 'on leave', according to the FT. He could not be reached for comment.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
2 minutes ago
- BBC News
BBC Asian Network unveils new schedule with The Traitor's star Jaz Singh set to host brand-new afternoon show
BBC Asian Network has announced a new schedule, including new presenters and a new show kicking in from Monday 1 September. Among the changes, Asian Network will introduce a new show to the weekly schedule and welcome a new roster of presenters from across the UK. Asian Network's brand-new afternoon programme will air every Monday to Thursday 3pm-6pm, hosted by Jaz Singh, marking his first full-time role as a radio presenter. Jaz rose to prominence as a contestant on The Traitors and went on to host Asian Network Motivation as a rotational presenter as well as covering shows across the network. He has also presented a documentary on BBC Radio 4. The new show will feature a mix of music and entertainment, aimed at reflecting the interests and experiences of British Asian communities. Jaz Singh says: 'As a finalist on BBC The Traitors to now hosting my own live radio show with BBC Asian Network, I'm beyond grateful to the people that are putting their trust and time into me because this is a dream!! Expect the biggest tunes, good vibes and be prepared to see a side of me you've never witnessed before!' Alongside Jaz, Harleen Nottay will join the station to present The Everyday Hustle (Monday, 6am-6:30am). An award-winning presenter, producer and reporter from Scotland with a focus on health, wellness and amplifying voices from the South Asian diaspora, Harleen has worked and presented on the BAFTA-winning series 'Scam Interceptors', Channel 4's documentary 'The £12 Million Rental Scam: UNTOLD' and has made regular appearances on BBC One's Morning Live. The Everyday Hustle looks at tips and tricks of navigating businesses and entrepreneurship for British Asians and the challenges and wins that come with this. Harleen Nottay says: 'I'm absolutely thrilled to be joining the BBC Asian Network team as the new host of The Everyday Hustle. It's a real privilege to pick up the mantle and bring fresh conversations to the show - and I'm especially honoured to represent Scottish voices on the network.' In further changes to the station, Midland based duo Kades and Mr.O will take over the Friday night show (9pm-12am) from DJ Limelight, who will continue to present Asian Network's New Music Show every Wednesday, 8pm-10pm. Mr.O brings over 15 years of DJing experience, having performed in front of thousands of people and played alongside many global artists on a number of international stages. Mr.O started appearing on Asian Network in early 2025. Making her Asian Network debut, Kades has earned viral recognition for her genre-fluid edits and Asian-inspired remixes, achieving millions of views, and generating a combined following of over 300,000 on TikTok and Instagram. She has also shared her experiences as a woman of mixed heritage in music on platforms such as Cultured Chaos and EmpowerHER. DJ Limelight says: 'I've enjoyed over 18 years of doing weekend evening radio here on BBC Asian Network and feel now is a good time for me to move on and pass the weekend baton onto the next DJ. You can still hear me representing the culture on Wednesday evenings with the New Music Show on BBC Asian Network.' Kades and Mr.O say: 'We're so excited to be joining the Asian Network family and can't wait to bring our energy to Friday nights! It's an exciting time for the station, and we're honoured to be part of the new chapter.' Ahmed Hussain, Head of Asian Network, says: 'We're entering an exciting new chapter at Asian Network, and I'm thrilled to welcome our new presenters to the team. Jaz Singh's new afternoon show is a key part of our commitment to celebrating British Asian voices and music culture. His energy and charisma are infectious, and I'm confident he'll quickly become a familiar and much-loved presence in our listeners' daily routines. 'It's also vital that we continue to reflect the diversity of our audiences across the UK, so I'm proud to see new talent joining us from different regions. I can't wait to hear what Jaz, Harleen, Kades and Mr.O bring to their shows. 'A huge thank you to DJ Limelight for his incredible contribution to Friday nights. We're delighted he'll continue to champion new music on Wednesdays.' These rafts of changes follow on from the network's move to Birmingham in April 2025, part of the BBC's Across the UK strategy. The new schedule begins from Monday 1 September. GD2 Follow for more
Reuters
2 minutes ago
- Reuters
Rolls-Royce nears deal to offload $5.37 billion of UK pension liabilities, Bloomberg News reports
Aug 8 (Reuters) - UK's Rolls-Royce (RR.L), opens new tab is close to announcing a deal with pension buyout firm Pension Insurance Corporation (PIC) to offload almost 4 billion pounds ($5.37 billion) in pension liabilities from the aero-engineer's balance sheet, Bloomberg News reported on Friday. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. ($1 = 0.7444 pounds)
Reuters
2 minutes ago
- Reuters
Oil set for steepest weekly losses since June
LONDON, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Oil prices were stable on Friday but poised for the steepest weekly losses since late June on a tariff-hit economic outlook and a potential meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Brent crude futures were up 21 cents, or 0.32%, at 6.64 a barrel by 0901 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 18 cents, or 0.28%, to $64.06. Brent was on track to be down 4.3% over the week while WTI was set to finish 4.9% lower than last Friday's close. Higher U.S. tariffs against a host of trade partners went into effect on Thursday, raising concern over economic activity and demand for crude oil, ANZ Bank analysts said in a note. The latest tariffs arrive against a backdrop of an already weaker than expected U.S. labour market and Thursday's announcement by the Kremlin that Putin and Trump would meet in the coming days as trade tensions rise between the U.S. and Russia's oil customers. Trump this week threatened to increase tariffs on India if it kept buying Russian oil, which the market viewed as putting further pressure on Russia to reach a deal with the U.S., said independent analyst Tina Teng. Trump also said China, the largest buyer of Russian crude, could be hit with tariffs similar to those levied against Indian imports. The potential meeting raises expectations of a diplomatic end to the war in Ukraine, which could lead to eased sanctions on Russia, with Russian stocks rallying after the news. However, some analysts remain cautious. "The Russian leader is expected to insist on having his territorial demands granted, a hard sell for the invaded country, while his U.S. counterpart will push for a ceasefire," said PVM analyst Tamas Varga. "No breakthrough is anticipated, and the U.S. following through on its threat to impose secondary sanctions on those dealing in Russian energy - including China and India - remains a possibility."
