Sanjiv Manchanda recognised with Highly Commended Award at CEO of the Year event
13 November 2026
We are delighted to announce that Hancock Prospecting CEO of Projects, Sanjiv Manchanda, received the Highly Commended Award in the Energy & Mining Category at the CEO Magazine’s 2026 Executive of the Year Awards in Sydney on Wednesday 11 November.
Mr Manchanda was deservedly recognised after many remarkable years of achievements at Hancock, having most recently brought the McPhee Creek mine to first ore barely 18 months after construction began, and seeing the new Hancock Iron Ore headquarters complete.
McPhee Creek is the Pilbara’s newest greenfield iron ore mine and is forecast to produce around eight million tonnes of ore per annum with an expected mine life of 15 years. Ore from McPhee will be processed at Roy Hill, significantly extending the life of the mega mine, which generates billions of dollars in royalties and taxes for Government, provides high-paying jobs for thousands of people and supports many related Australian businesses.
Hancock Iron Ore’s unique new headquarters at 53 Ord Street has brought its remote operations and corporate teams from Perth Airport closer to Hancock’s long-standing base at HPPL House in West Perth. Inspired by the Sturt’s Desert Pea, a flower Mrs Rinehart’s mother, Hope Hancock, and Gina Rinehart loved from their years in the Pilbara, the building’s facade is a world-first in design and engineering. Given such a stunning exterior, this required no less remarkable a design inside. This started from the base requested by our chairman, the feature banded iron formation carpet, which worked superbly with the white office furniture from D’esky. Additionally, throughout the building, each further piece was also requested by our chairperson, who chose the exceptional team of interior designer Nina Alexandra Gunnell and her Italian architect husband Francesco Barberini of Barberini & Gunnell Atelier to design and create their stunning pieces and assist with the lighting.
“Sanjiv is always thinking, and is a hard-working CEO, who I respect and greatly enjoy working with. I would like to add my warmest congratulations on this exceedingly well-deserved honour, to add to Sanjiv's other remarkable achievements.”
Commenting on his achievement, Mr Manchanda said:
“This recognition, while humbling, is not mine alone. I have been fortunate to lead some extraordinary teams across the full breadth and depth of Hancock’s project pipeline, and our achievements this past year have been truly exceptional.
“To the many people who took McPhee Creek from construction to first ore in just 18 months, and to those who helped turn Mrs Rinehart’s very ambitious building concept into a world-first headquarters that is as eye-catching as it is innovative – thank you. The headquarters recognition cannot ignore the outstanding contribution of Barberini & Gunnell, with whom our executive chairman worked so closely.
“We must all take our inspiration from somewhere, and for us here at Hancock that inspiration is derived from the leadership and unrelenting example set by our Executive Chairman, Dr Gina Rinehart AO.
“More than 30 years ago, Dr Rinehart took over a struggling enterprise facing seemingly insurmountable difficulties, and has since transformed it into the most successful private company in Australia’s history. Such Success has delivered untold benefits for Australia, too. Thousands of high-paying jobs, new roads for our regional areas, $200 million for homeless veterans added to earlier years of supporting veterans and other worthy needs, and as announced recently, almost $25 billion in taxes paid over the past decade alone.
“These examples are precisely the reason why many more projects – like the ones we have delivered at Hancock – must be able to attract much-needed investment, investment being essential to maintain our standards of living.
“The future of our country quite literally depends on it. But the success of and benefits from such projects in future rely upon recognising that our policy settings must change to be able to successfully compete for investment, sensible policy settings, free of unnecessary tape, regulation and uncertainty.
“For instance: it should not take longer to approve a mine than what it does to build one.
“I congratulate everyone in my team for being a part of this recognition.”
