Seedat has more than 20 years experience in the minerals industry, most recently as the president and chief operating officer of Ingwe, which is responsible for BHP's energy coal business in southern Africa.
Seedat will be based in Johannesburg and will report to Philip Aiken, BHP Billiton's energy group president.
Current chief executive of BHP Billiton's Mitsubishi Alliance, Dave Murray, has been appointed to the new position of metallurgical coal president and will join BHP Billiton's executive committee.
Murray will be responsible for all of the miner's metallurgical coal operations and interests in Australia and Indonesia. He reports to BHP Billiton's Carbon Steel Materials Group President Bob Kirkby.
