Kaneko may appoint Citigroup as the advisor for the negotiations on the BHP Billiton merger.

Swiss mining company Glencore is expected to hire Citigroup as its chief investment bank to participate in a possible acquisition of Rio Tinto, which could create the world's largest mining company worth over $200 billion. According to documents submitted to the London Stock Exchange, Citigroup Global Markets filed disclosure documents with the UK Takeover Panel in January, indicating its affiliation with Glencore and potential transactions with Rio Tinto. Citigroup has a long-standing relationship with Glencore, having provided advice on several major transactions for the mining and trading company, including its initial public offering in 2011 and the recent acquisition of coal business from Temco Resources.