From March 1, CEO of base metals Duncan Wanblad will be succeeded by Anglo's Brazil CEO Ruben Fernandes to focus solely on his role as group director of strategy and business development.

 

In turn, Fernandes will be succeeded as Brazil CEO by Wilfred Bruijn.

 

Anglo CEO Mark Cutifani said Wanblad had led the base metals business since 2013, overseeing a significant turnaround in operational performance, and took on the strategy and business development portfolio in 2016.

 

"As we progress the transformation of Anglo American's performance to unlock our full potential, it is appropriate that we allocate dedicated executive responsibility to these two important portfolios," he said. 

 

"Duncan will continue to bring rigorous leadership to our strategic thinking and analysis of business development opportunities, critical in shaping many of our longer term decisions".

 

He said Fernandes would build on Wanblad's operation performance turnaround and  progress Anglo's global business strategy for copper and other base metals.

 

"Ruben will work closely with the copper team in Chile, the Quellaveco project development team and our mineral discovery team as we map out our extensive long-term growth options for this key product area that is key to enabling a cleaner, more electrified and richer world," Cutifani said.

 

Fernandes will also join Anglo's  group management committee. 

 

His replacement, Bruijn, has over 25 years' of experience in the mining industry and was most recently CEO of Mineração Usiminas, the Brazilian iron ore joint venture between Usiminas and Sumitomo.