According to the church, Meurs was called as a General Authority Seventy at the April 2016 general conference.

The former WorleyParsons managing director joined FMG in May 2010 as director development and oversaw its expansion to 155 million tonnes per annum before being appointed to the board as an executive director in February 2013.

In late 2014, Meurs went on sabbatical and has not appeared or spoken publicly for FMG since, though that coincided with the end of the T155 expansion.

FMG founder and chairman Andrew Forrest said Meurs was a dear friend who he would greatly miss.

“From his early days at WorleyParsons to Fortescue executive director, he played a critical role in our development,” he said.

“He leaves us with that embedded culture and intellectual property firmly in place and it will be his enduring legacy.

“I thank Peter deeply for his courage to shoot for over the horizon targets, always having a bulletproof plan B, and most of all for giving such an extensive part of his highly productive life to Fortescue.”

Meurs is FMG’s 12th-largest shareholder, holding around 0.3% of the company, or around 9.8 million shares.

FMG group manager development Simon Carter will continue to manage the company’s key projects and new ventures.

Shares in FMG were up by 1% to $A3.07.