Ulaanbaatar
Munkhsukh Sukhbaatar to Lead Oyu Tolgoi as Chief Executive Officer
Society
Ulaanbaatar, November 27, 2025 /MONTSAME/. Oyu Tolgoi LLC announced the appointment of Munkhsukh Sukhbaatar as Chief Executive Officer, unanimously approved by the Board following an international selection process. This marks the first time in 16 years since the start of the Oyu Tolgoi project that a Mongolian has been appointed to lead the company.
Munkhsukh has over 25 years of international experience encompassing mining, civil aviation, investment, and finance. He began his career at Oyu Tolgoi in 2012, contributing to several strategic projects before joining Rio Tinto in 2015. During his tenure, he managed stakeholder relations, partnerships and served as Rio Tinto’s Country Director for Mongolia.
Most recently, Munkhsukh was Managing Director, Strategy and Growth Copper for the Asia-Pacific region. In this role, he was responsible for building partnerships to expand Rio Tinto’s copper portfolio, delivering major projects, and advancing climate change mitigation initiatives. He played a key role in accelerating the Winu copper-gold project in Australia.
Upon his appointment, Munkhsukh stated, “I am grateful for the trust placed in me and proud of the team whose dedication has brought Oyu Tolgoi to where it is today. With the continued support and collaboration of our partners and communities, my focus is to build on this strong foundation – further increasing our contribution to Mongolia’s sustainable development and creating value for everyone who has a stake in Oyu Tolgoi’s success.”
Munkhsukh will officially assume his duties as CEO on February 1, 2026, succeeding Deirdré Lingenfelder, who will conclude her tenure on December 9, 2025. Under her leadership, Oyu Tolgoi achieved a series of historic milestones, including the commencement of underground production and its ongoing ramp-up, laying the foundation for Oyu Tolgoi's long-term growth.
