Issued by: BHP Billiton Plc

__________________________________________________________________________________

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

_______________

FORM 6-K

REPORT OF FOREIGN ISSUER

PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 OF

THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the Date of 12 February 2004

BHP Billiton Limited

ABN 49 004 028 077

180 Lonsdale Street

Melbourne Victoria 3000

Australia

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

 

Form 20-F X   Form 40-F  

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Yes     No X

If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b):


Issued by: BHP Billiton Plc

To:
London Stock Exchange
Old Broad Street
London EC2N 1HP
United Kingdom
Company Announcements Office

The Australian Stock Exchange
4th Floor, 20 Bridge Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia

cc: New York Stock Exchange
Swiss Stock Exchange
NZX
Johannesburg Stock Exchange
Euronext
Deutsche Bank

 

Date: 12 February 2004

For Release: Immediately

Contact: Ines Watson +44 (0)20 7802 4176

Notification of Major Interests in Shares

 

The following notification was received yesterday by BHP Billiton Plc in a communication from Old Mutual plc dated 11 February 2004 relating to major interests in shares of BHP Billiton Plc as at 6 February 2004:

"Please find notification pursuant to section 198 of the Companies Act 1985, that as at 6th February 2004, Old Mutual Plc and its direct and indirect subsidiaries had a material interest in 197,616,150 ordinary shares of BHP Billiton Plc, representing 8.01% of the issued share capital. The shares are registered as per the attached schedule."

Registered holdings of BHP Billiton Plc share capital by Old Mutual Companies at 6 February 2004

Total Shares issued

Number of Shares

Company

Registered Holder

% of

issued shares

2,468,147,002

103,654,830

Old Mutual Asset Managers (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd

Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (South Africa) Ltd

4.20%

1,134,769

Stanlib Asset Management Ltd (not an Old Mutual Company)

Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (South Africa) Ltd

0.05%

534,713

Prudential Portfolio Managers SA (Pty) Ltd (not an Old Mutual Company

Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (South Africa) Ltd

0.02%

220,270

PeregrineQuant (Pty) Ltd (Not an Old Mutual Company)

Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (South Africa) Ltd

0.01%

265,325

Coronation Fund Managers Ltd (Not an Old Mutual Company)

Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (South Africa) Ltd

0.01%

3,380,528

Old Mutual Asset Managers (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd

Old Mutual Unit Trusts (SA) Limited

0.14%

47,438,404

Old Mutual Asset Managers (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd

Old Mutual Asset Managers (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd (Managed Fund Client Assets)

1.92%

206,309

Old Mutual Asset Managers (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd

Omnibon No 13 (Pty) Limited

0.01%

1,953,383

Old Mutual Asset Managers (Namibia) (Pty) Ltd

Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (Namibia) Ltd

0.08%

232,849

Old Mutual Asset Managers (Namibia) (Pty) Ltd

Old Mutual Holdings (Namibia) (Pty) Ltd

0.01%

992,581

Old Mutual Asset Managers (Namibia) (Pty) Ltd

Old Mutual Asset Managers (Namibia) (Pty) Ltd (Managed Fund Client Assets)

0.04%

45,728

Old Mutual Asset Managers (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd

Old Mutual Unit Trusts (Namibia) Limited

0.00%

4,679,874

Old Mutual Asset Managers (Bermuda) Ltd

Old Mutual Global Asset Fund

0.19%

12,280,448

Old Mutual Asset Managers (Bermuda) Ltd

Old Mutual South Africa Equity Trust Limited

0.50%

1,139,599

Old Mutual Asset Managers (Bermuda) Ltd

Old Mutual South African Trust Plc

0.05%

53,835

Quantitive Asset Management

ABSA Nominees

0.00%

3,235,985

Quantitive Asset Management

Nedbank Nominees Ltd

0.13%

2,907,495

Quantitive Asset Management

Standard Bank Nominees Ltd

0.12%

7,407

Syfrets Securities

Syfrets Securities Nominees (Pty) Ltd

0.00%

79,300

Franklin Templeton/NIB Investments

Nedcor Bank Nominees Ltd

0.00%

0

Old Mutual

Nedcor Bank Nominees

0.00%

2,408,372

BOE Private Clients

Standard Bank Nominees

0.10%

30,684

BOE Private Clients

Registered Own Name

0.00%

1,345,035

BOE Private Clients (NTRAC)

Nedcor Bank Nominees

0.05%

134,582

BOE Fiduciary

Nedcor Bank Nominees

0.01%

1,936,848

Mutual & Federal Limited

Mutual & Federal Limited

0.08%

5,185,603

Quaystone Ltd

Standard Bank Nominees (Transvaal) (Pty) Limited

0.21%

1,626,652

Quaystone Ltd

Nedcor Bank Nominees Ltd

0.07%

504,742

Quaystone Ltd

ABSA

0.02%

197,616,150

8.01%


BHP Billiton Limited ABN 49 004 028 077
Registered in Australia
Registered Office: Level 27, 180 Lonsdale Street Melbourne Victoria 3000
Telephone +61 1300 554 757 Facsimile +61 3 9609 3015

BHP Billiton Plc Registration number 3196209
Registered in England and Wales
Registered Office: Neathouse Place London SW1V 1BH United Kingdom
Telephone +44 20 7802 4000 Facsimile +44 20 7802 4111

                                                                    The BHP Billiton Group is headquartered in Australia

 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

BHP BILLITON LIMITED
/s/ KAREN WOOD
_____________________

Karen Wood
Title: Company Secretary
Date:
1
2 February 2004