Anglo American has appointed Shearman & Sterling mining co-head Richard Price as its new group GC, with effect from 1 May.

He will take over from longstanding group GC Ben Kiesler, who is retiring after 32 years at the mining giant.

Price, who is based in London, will join Anglo in its London office and will sit on its management committee.

He was previously based in Shearman's Singapore office, where he headed up its southeast Asian and Indian capital markets practice. Other roles he has held at the firm include head of the EMEA capital markets group and leader of the EMEA corporate practice.

Chief executive of Anglo American, Mark Cutifani, said: "He knows us and our industry well, given the legal advisory work he has led on a number of complex issues and transactions, including in South Africa."

Price said: "I have had the pleasure of working with Anglo American, including its current group general counsel Ben Keisler, for many years and have developed a great admiration for the company and its people."

Last year, rival mining company Rio Tinto sacked its GC Debra Valentine amid an inquiry into payments made to a consultant in 2011, after concluding that she "failed to maintain the standards expected" of her under the company's code of conduct.