24 June 2005
	SA's Top 20 Companies 7 BHP BILLITON Total score: 60,1 Historic score: 28,7 FM's score: 81

Being invested in the right commodities at the right time has boosted BHP Billiton's earnings and the group is still accelerating. It is the world's largest nonoil resource group and the gap between it and rival Anglo American is widening. Direct benefits to Southern Africa have been largely through construction and the expansion of aluminium plants at Richards Bay and Maputo. CEO Chip Goodyear has proved a worthy successor to Brian Gilbertson, who was ousted by the board two years ago. If there's a criticism, it's that the group appears more bureaucratic and restrictive on its middle and senior management than the former Billiton was.