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 18 November 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:
Company Announcements Office
The London Stock Exchange

Company Announcements Office
The Australian Stock Exchange

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

 

Date: 18 November 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 17 November 2004 relating to major interests in shares of BHP Billiton Plc as at 9 November 2004:

"Please find notification pursuant to Section 198 of the Companies Act 1985, that as at 9th November 2004, Old Mutual Plc and its direct and indirect subsidiaries had a material interest in 226,981,300 ordinary shares of BHP Billiton Plc, representing 9.20% 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

9 November 2004

Total Shares    Number of                  Company                                                Registered Holder
issued              Shares

% of issued shares

2,468,147,002

113,280,231

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

Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (South Africa) Ltd

4.59%

1,541,160

Stanlib Asset Management Ltd (not an Old Mutual Company)

Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (South Africa) Ltd

0.06%

369,892

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

Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (South Africa) Ltd

0.01%

21,100

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

Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (South Africa) Ltd

0.00%

450,000

Polaris Capital (Pty) Ltd (Not and Old Mutual Company)

Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (South Africa) Ltd

0.02%

6,156,626

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

Old Mutual Unit Trusts (SA) Limited

0.25%

58,319,134

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

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

2.36%

2,479,653

Old Mutual Asset Managers (Namibia) (Pty) Ltd

Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (Namibia) Ltd

0.10%

212,849

Old Mutual Asset Managers (Namibia) (Pty) Ltd

Old Mutual Holdings (Namibia) (Pty) Ltd

0.01%

1,144,065

Old Mutual Asset Managers (Namibia) (Pty) Ltd

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

0.05%

52,724

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

Old Mutual Unit Trusts (Namibia) Limited

0.00%

4,503,111

Old Mutual Asset Managers (Bermuda) Ltd

Old Mutual Global Asset Fund

0.18%

12,389,081

Old Mutual Asset Managers (Bermuda) Ltd

Old Mutual South Africa Equity Trust Limited

0.50%

706,891

Old Mutual Asset Managers (Bermuda) Ltd

Old Mutual South African Trust Plc

0.03%

150,182

Old Mutual Fund Managers Ltd

The Bank of New York Nominees Ltd

0.01%

31,500

Old Mutual Fund Managers Ltd

The Bank of New York Nominees Ltd

0.00%

52,460

Old Mutual Fund Managers Ltd

Nortrust Nominees

0.00%

818,374

Old Mutual Fund Managers Ltd

HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Ltd

0.03%

20,100

Old Mutual Fund Managers Ltd

Citibank London

0.00%

308,500

Old Mutual Fund Managers Ltd

Morgan Stanley & Co International Ltd

0.01%

150,314

Quantitive Asset Management

ABSA Nominees

0.01%

2,786,591

Quantitive Asset Management

Nedbank Nominees Ltd

0.11%

2,945,255

Quantitive Asset Management

Standard Bank Nominees Ltd

0.12%

64,667

Syfrets Securities

Syfrets Securities Nominees (Pty) Ltd

0.00%

6,966,171

NIB Collective Investment Schemes

Nedcor Bank Nominees

0.28%

17,629

NIB Securities

NIB IPS Nominees (Pty) Ltd

0.00%

3,486,972

BOE Personal Stockbrokers

BNS Nominees

0.14%

3,129

Old Mutual (STRAC)

Nedcor Bank Nominees

0.00%

2,835,936

BOE Private Clients

Nedbank Nominees Ltd

0.11%

30,304

BOE Private Clients

Registered Own Name

0.00%

1,341,282

BOE Private Clients (NTRAC)

Nedcor Bank Nominees

0.05%

149,180

BOE Fiduciary

Nedcor Bank Nominees

0.01%

3,196,237

Mutual & Federal Limited

Mutual & Federal Limited

0.13%

226,981,300

9.20%

 

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
8 November 2004