Director Shareholding

BHP Billiton Limited
24 August 2004

     BHP Billiton Limited is issuing this announcement to fulfil disclosure
  obligations arising from its secondary listing on the London Stock Exchange.

    The text of this release is identical to that issued by BHP Billiton Plc
                                    earlier.



Issued by:      BHP Billiton Plc

To:
London Stock Exchange
Johannesburg Stock Exchange
New York Stock Exchange

Date:             24 August 2004

For Release:      Immediately

Contact:          Ines Watson - [phone]



                     Notification of interests of directors



BHP Billiton Plc announces the following transactions made by Billiton ESOP
Trustee Limited, as trustee of the Billiton Employee Share Ownership Trust, in
Ordinary shares of US$0.50 in BHP Billiton Plc.


    Date of             Type of     Number of    Price per     Date
    Transaction         Transaction Shares       Share         Notified

    19 August 2004      Sale        15,536       £5.28         23 August 2004
    20 August 2004      Sale        46,165       ZAR 63.30     23 August 2004
    20 August 2004      Transfer    75,058       N/A           23 August 2004

These transactions were made on behalf of a beneficiary of the Company's
Restricted Share Scheme and Group Incentive Scheme (not any director of BHP
Billiton Plc subject to the Company's Securities Dealing Code).


Following the above transactions Messrs C W Goodyear and M Salamon have an
interest in the balance held by the Trust of 3,937,940 shares as potential
beneficiaries of the Trust.


BHP Billiton Limited ABN 49 004 028 077                     BHP Billiton Plc Registration number 3196209
Registered in Australia                                     Registered in England and Wales
Registered Office: Level 27, 180 Lonsdale Street Melbourne  Registered Office: Neathouse Place London SW1V 1BH United
Victoria 3000                                               Kingdom
Telephone [phone] Facsimile [phone]        Telephone [phone] Facsimile [phone]

                       The BHP Billiton Group is headquartered in Australia


                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange  ND

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