Ruben Alvarado

Ruben Alvarado Vigar became the Chief Executive Officer of Code/co in September 2023. He is a Chemical Civil Engineer who graduated from University of Chile and has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from University of Chile and Tulane University from New Orleans, United States. Ruben Alvarado has 20 years of experience linked to El Teniente Division of Code/co, where he became its general manager. A year after graduating from the University of Chile, he joined Code/co as a Smelter Engineer, where he worked for nine years, between 1984 and 1993, participating in technological developments such as the Teniente Converter and the Slag Cleaning Furnace, among others. From 1994 to 2000 he was smelter manager at Caletones Smelter. In 2000 he was appointed general manager of El Teniente Division, where he served until 2004. During this period, Teniente Development Plan was built and launched, a set of mining, technological and management projects, which reversed the expected drop in productivity. Due to the exhaustion of some sectors, they expanded production capacity and maximized divisional surpluses. After his first stage in Code/co, he became CEO of the Empresa Portuaria de San Antonio between 2004 and 2005. E+M VP of LAN Airlines between 2007 and 2012. CEO of Alsacia & Express between 2012 and 2013. He was CEO of Metro of Santiago between 2014 and 2022. He has also been a member of the board at Acci6n Empresas and America Solidaria NGO.

Aurora Williams

Aurora Elvira Williams Baussa is a Chilean business engineer. She was the Chilean Minister of Mining from 11 March 2014 to 11 March 2016. In an August 2023 Cabinet reshuffle, Boric re-appointed Williams as Minister of Mining, where she would replace Marcela Hernando.

Katie Jackson

Katie was appointed Chief Executive, Copper in September 2024.

Before this, Katie was President of National Grid Ventures responsible for financing, developing and operating large-scale energy infrastructure assets including electricity interconnectors, LNG solutions, renewables, and competitive transmission.

With a career spanning three continents at Shell, UBS, Anadarko, Equinor and BG Group, Katie brings strong operational, commercial and strategy experience with a passion for solving technical, operational and financial challenges to make complex global projects work. Katie is a Non-Executive Director at specialist engineering group IMI since July 2018, and Chair of POWERful Women, the UK’s cross-industry initiative working for a gender-balanced, diverse and inclusive energy sector. 

Kathleen L. Quirk

Kathleen L. Quirk is President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of Freeport-McMoRan Inc (Freeport). 

Ms. Quirk joined Freeport in 1989 and had responsibility for a broad range of corporate functions, including Tax, Investor Relations, Corporate Development and Treasury before being named Chief Financial Officer in 2003. During that period, she was named Best CFO in Metals and Mining by Extel (formerly known as Institutional Investor Research) on numerous occasions. She was named President of Freeport in 2021 and became a member of the Board of Directors in 2023. As a senior member of the company’s executive team for more than 20 years, she has been instrumental in Freeport’s strategic planning and execution of company goals. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Vulcan Materials Company. Ms. Quirk is a graduate of Louisiana State University.

Shaun Usmar

Shaun Usmar is an international mining executive with 30 years of experience working around the globe in some of the world's largest and fastest growing mining companies. Currently, he serves as the CEO of Vale Base Metals. Formerly, Mr. Usmar founded Triple Flag Precious Metals Corp. and served as the CEO and a Director until September 2024 and prior roles included Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Barrick Gold Corporation, from 2014 to 2016. He joined Xstrata in 2002 as an early senior executive that helped grow the company into one of the world's largest diversified miners at the time of its acquisition by Glencore in 2013. His roles at Xstrata included General Manager of Business Development in London, Chief Financial Officer of Xstrata's global Ferro-Alloys business in South Africa, and Chief Financial Officer of Xstrata's global Nickel business in Canada. Prior to joining Xstrata, Mr. Usmar worked at BHP Billiton in Corporate Finance in London, and started his career in mining in operations in the steel and aluminum industries as a production engineer. Mr. Usmar serves as Chair of Make- A-Wish Canada and as an independent director of Alamos Gold and has served on several other boards in the past, including Peabody Energy and the World Gold Council, where he chaired the Audit Committee. He holds a Bachelor of Science Engineering in Metallurgy and Materials from the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, and an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, both with distinction.

Mauricio Ortiz

Artem Volynets

Mr. Volynets is the Founder, Chairman and CEO of ACG Metals Ltd.  He has 27+ years of experience in mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, and senior corporate management roles.  He has led private and public transactions worth more than $30 billion and managed leading businesses in the metals and mining industry.  

Mr. Volynets listed ACG Acquisition Company as a SPAC on LSE in 2022 with a strategy to consolidated the critical metals industry.   The company completed the first $300m transaction in Türkiye in 2024, acquiring producing Copper / Gold Gediktepe mine and was renamed ACG Metals Ltd.   ACG’s near term goal is to build 200-300 ktpa copper producer via a series of roll-up transactions.  

Mr Volynets has previously designed and implemented a similar roll-up strategy in aluminium, having led several high-profile transactions that created UC Rusal, which he listed in Hong Kong in 2010 at a pre-money valuation of over $20 billion.  

Mr. Volynets’ former roles include the CEO of Chaarat Gold, CEO of En+ Group, head of strategy and Board director of UC Rusal.  He also served as an independent non-executive director at Norilsk Nickel and as Chairman of International Aluminium Institute and started his carrier as a strategy consultant with Monitor Group in Boston and London.  

He obtained an MBA from Georgetown University in 1997 (in a joint program with INSEAD in France) and a BA in Economics from The American University in Washington DC in 1994 and previously studied geology and philosophy at Moscow State University.    

Raman Randhawa

Raman Randhawa is a Canadian Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) with 20 years of financial and leadership experience in the mining industry. Prior to joining Capstone in 2018, Raman spent 13 years at Goldcorp Inc., a Canadian based global gold producer. At Goldcorp, Raman held a series of senior management roles, including Vice President, Business Planning, Vice President, Business Performance & Reporting and Vice President, Finance, Operations. His background includes roles in Controllership, Treasury and Supply Chain in addition to leading Goldcorp’s Canadian mines from a finance perspective. He has broad management and financial experience with exposure to capital markets and corporate development. He led the development of a Global Supply Chain department and management of multi-billion dollar capital budgets. Raman started his career at the international firm of Ernst & Young.

Victor Gobitz

Currently President and CEO of Quilla Resources, previously CEO of Compañia Minera Antamina, Compañia de Minas Buenaventura and Compañia Minera Milpo (currently Nexa Resources Peru).

Former Chairman of the Peruvian Mining, Petroleum and Energy Society (SNMPE) for the period 2023, January 2025. Former Chairman of the Peruvian Mining Engineers Institute (IIMP).

Mining engineer from Pontifical Catholic University (PUCP) and MBA from ESAN Business School. Awarded by the SME for his outstanding achievements in September 2023.

Dr. Toralf Haag

Dr. Toralf Haag, born in 1966, has been the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Aurubis AG since September 1, 2024. He began his career in 1994 at Thyssen Handelsunion AG in Düsseldorf. From 1997 to 1999, he served as Director of Finance, M&A, and Corporate Development at The Budd Company in Detroit, USA, a subsidiary of ThyssenKrupp. In 2000, he was appointed CEO of the Stamping & Frame Division at The Budd Company. Between 2002 and 2005, Dr. Haag was the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Norddeutsche Affinerie AG, now known as Aurubis AG, in Hamburg. He then became CFO of the Swiss chemical and pharmaceutical company Lonza Group AG in 2005. In October 2016, he joined the Corporate Board of Management at Voith Group, initially as CFO, and was appointed Chairman in October 2018. Dr. Haag holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of Augsburg and a doctorate from the University of Kiel.

Ivan Arriagada

Iván Arriagada joined Antofagasta Minerals S.A., a Chilean-controlled company listed on the London Stock Exchange and a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index in February 2015. In April 2016, he was appointed CEO of Antofagasta plc, the holding company of Antofagasta Mining Group. Mr Arriagadais a Commercial Engineer, graduate of the Adolfo Ibañez Business School at Universidad Federico Santa María and holds a Master of Science from the London School of Economics. Prior to joining Antofagasta Minerals, he held the position of ChiefFinancial Officer at Codelco. Before this, he was President of Pampa Norte at Base Metals BHP Billiton, Vice President of Operations at Base Metals BHP Billiton and Chief Financial Officer for Copper at BHP Billiton. Mr Arriagada previously worked in the oil and gas industry at Royal Dutch Shell International, holding various posts in finance and business development, primarily in England, USA and Argentina.


Iván Arriagada ingresa al Grupo Minero Antofagasta Mineral S.A, empresa chilena inscrita en el London Stock Exchange y constituyente del Indice FTSE 100 en febrero de 2015. En abril de 2016, es designado Presidente Ejecutivo de Antofagasta PLC, empresa controladora del Grupo. Iván es Ingeniero Comercial, graduado de la Escuela de Negocios Adolfo Ibáñez de la Universidad Federico Santa María. Posee un Masters en Ciencias del London School of Economics. Antes de unirse a Antofagasta Minerals, ocupó el cargo de Vice Presidente de Finanzas de Codelco, Presidente de Pampa Norte de BHP Billiton Metales, Vice Presidente de Operaciones de Metales Base de BHP Billiton y Vice Presidente de Cobre de BHP Billiton. Previamente trabajó en la industria del petróleo y gas en el Royal Dutch Shell International, ocupando diversos puestos en finanzas y desarrollo de negocios , principalmente en Inglaterra , EE.UU. y Argentina.

Alejandro Tapia

Alejandro Tapia assumed the role of President of Escondida | BHP, the world's largest copper-producing mine, on July 1, 2023. Hailing from Antofagasta, Alejandro has an extensive career in the mining industry. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering and a Master of Science in Mineral Economics, both from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, as well as a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the London Business School. Alejandro joined BHP in 2004 and has since held various leadership roles, including Vice President of Projects at Pampa Norte, Head of Directional Studies, Director of Integrated Operations Projects, and General Manager of the Concentrator at Escondida. His most recent role was VP Planning and Technical Minerals Americas, where he led the growth strategy for copper and potash.

Mikael Staffas

Mikael Staffas is the President and CEO of Boliden since 2018. He has been a member of the top management group at Boliden since 2011, first as CFO and then as Head of Business Area Mines. Mikael is the Chairman of the boards of the International Zinc Association and the Employers' Association of the Swedish Mining Industry. Deputy Chairman of SveMin and the Swedish Association of Industrial Employers. Member of the Executive Board of the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise and member of the boards of International Copper Association, ICMM, lndustrikraft, and Kemira. Before joining Boliden, Mikael was the CFO of the Swedish forest products group Sodra and before that he was a Partner at McKinsey & Co in Stockholm and in Moscow. 

Menno Sanderese

Menno Sanderse was appointed Chief Financial Officer, Copper, effective from 1 July 2024. He was previously Group Head of Strategy and Investor Relations. Menno joined Rio Tinto in September 2019 from Morgan Stanley where he led the Metals and Mining equity research team, advising investors and engaging executive teams of large European-listed diversified mining companies, steel producers and commodity traders since 2012. From 2002-2011 he led the Transport Infrastructure and Services team covering Europe, the Middle East and Russia. Prior to that he worked at Merrill Lynch.  

Angela Bi

Angela Bi is currently working as the Head of Asian metals & mineral research at Mercuria, focusing on market research and industry analysis for base metals and NEV materials. Before joining Mercuria, she had worked as a Director for Citigroup based in London, in charge of trading strategy for base metals business; she also spent three years as the Senior Metals Strategist for major hedge funds. Angela started her career with Macquarie bank where she was the principal analyst for base metals. Angela holds a master’s degree in National University of Singapore.

Laura Whitton

Laura is the Head of Commodity Strategy, Copper & Potash at BHP. Laura has over 15 years’ experience in resources, strategic marketing, M&A, capital project development and environmental, social and governance strategy. She has worked across Australia, Asia and the Americas to deliver major capital projects, establish investment enabling joint ventures, and enable sustainable solutions for all stakeholders.

Laura is happiest in a dynamic, cross-cultural environment and is firm believer in the critical role of business in enabling an energy transition and sustainable future. She has board experience in the education, technology, and natural resources sectors.

Originally from Australia, Laura received her Bachelor of Arts/Law from the University of Queensland and has an Executive MBA from INSEAD.

Andrea Casciano

Andrea is the Vice President of Operations for Chile and Project Delivery for Latin America at Worley, bringing 18 years of expertise to the role. With over 28 years in the consulting and industrial sectors, she excels in leading large-scale projects across various execution models (EPC, EPCM, PMC, JV) and contract types, always driving capital efficiency, safety, and business outcomes. Andrea is a champion of business transformation, implementing strategies for talent management, digital innovation, diversity, and ESG. Her global experience, including stints in Germany and Chile, has honed her ability to lead high-performing, multicultural teams. Andrea holds a Chemical Engineering degree and an MBA in Project Management.

Victor Rodriguez

Victor is a dynamic leader with over 20 years of international experience in consulting, marketing, and business development in the commodity industries.

With a reputation for leadership excellence, commercial insight, and a collaborative approach, Victor has built a career defined by driving meaningful outcomes to clients and teams in diverse environments. Having lived in South America, Europe and the Middle East, Victor brings a rich multicultural perspective to his work. Known for his strategic vision, ability to tackle complex challenges, and dedication to team success, he is a sought-after speaker at global industry events.

Appointed Managing Director of CRU Consulting in October 2024, Victor leads the company’s global consulting practice that delivers a bespoke service to answer the big strategic questions facing stakeholders in the mining, industrial and technology industries. Before this, he headed CRU’s EMEA Consulting team, generating sustainable growth in the region. His earlier career highlights include serving as Global Marketing Director at Interpipe and spending nearly a decade at Tenaris, where he held various roles in sales, marketing and commercial planning.

Education/Qualifications: MBA at Saïd Business School, University of OxfordBusiness Administration, Universidad Catolica ArgentinaLanguages: Spanish (native) and Portuguese (conversational)

Nicholas Snowdon

Nicholas Snowdon heads the metals and mining research at Mercuria Energy Trading. He brings 17 years of experience in the commodity trading industry previous that, most recently working at Goldman Sachs as a Managing Director, Head of Metals Research. Previously, he was with Deutsche Bank as Director, Base Metals and Bulks Strategist for 2 years. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Politics and Philosophy from the University of Durham and a Master’s degree in Development Economics and Finance from the London University, School of Oriental and African Studies.

Francisca Saieh

Francisca is the VP of Marketing & Technology at Orica Latin America, with a strong track record in roles in Santiago, Chile, and Melbourne, Australia. She graduated in Industrial Civil Engineering from Universidad del Desarrollo and holds Six Sigma Black Belt certifications from the University of Notre Dame and Universidad Alberto Hurtado, as well as an Advanced MBA from Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez. With over 15 years of experience, Francisca has held various positions in Marketing, Finance, Supply Chain, and Human Resources. Additionally, Francisca is an active member of three Boards related to the mining industry, education, and the chamber of commerce, reaffirming her commitment to sustainable and equitable development in these sectors.  

Colin Hamilton

Colin Hamilton is Vice President, Market Research & Economic Analysis at Teck.  Based in London, he leads Teck's market analysis team and has a strong focus on China and global trade flows.  Previously, he headed up commodities research teams at both BMO Capital Markets and Macquarie and has over 20 years’ experience in the metals and mining industry.  He holds a MEng (distinction) in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Strathclyde.

Laura Alvarado

Laura Alvarado Soza was the first woman to assume a managerial position at Minera Los Pelambres. She currently serves as the Port Manager and is the Leader of the WIM Chile Members Management Committee.She holds a degree in Civil Engineering with a specialization in Environmental Engineering and an MBA from the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.Laura has worked in various companies in the industry, including BHP and Antofagasta Minerals, holding several managerial roles such as Manager of Occupational Health and Safety and Integration of the Operational Adaptation Project.Additionally, she has received various distinctions for her work in the market and her contribution to female inclusion.

Emil Kalinowski

Emil Kalinowski's research focuses on how socioeconomic and geopolitical trends affect the supply, demand, and price of precious and base metals. His present focus is on the malfunction of the monetary system in 2007 and how its continuing disorder has impacted commodity prices, macroeconomic trends and long-term country risks. 

Simon Morris

Simon has over two decades of experience in the natural resources sector and has worked across all parts of the mining value chain in both operational and corporate leadership roles.He is the Head of CRU’s Base Metals division, a global team delivering macro-to-micro data, analysis and insight across 14 of the sector’s most critical metals.  Delivering market intelligence comprising detailed asset performance through to global industry trends and the latest cutting-edge emissions data, Simon’s team is helping to support some of our customers’ biggest decisions.Before joining CRU, Simon worked at Shell and Rio Tinto in senior strategy, M&A, investment analysis and corporate affairs roles; led the Metals division at a B2B market intelligence company; and most recently was Chief of Staff leading strategy and corporate affairs departments at a commodity trader. Simon holds an MSc in International Strategy & Diplomacy from LSE and a Bachelor of Commerce from Edinburgh University.

Shi Wei

China University of Mining and Technology  

Doctoral Supervisor The Special Award of Ministry of Education Science and Technology Progress

The Top Ten Scientific and Technological Advances in Chinese Higher Education by the Ministry of Education

The First Prize of Science and Technology by the China Coal Industry Association

Tom Mulqueen

Tom Mulqueen is a Research Strategist in Citi’s Commodities Research Team specialising in copper and base metal markets more broadly. Prior to joining Citi in July 2022, Tom spent several years as Head of Research at Amalgamated Metal Trading Ltd. (AMT), a ring-dealing member of the London Metal Exchange. Previously, he was Head of Market Intelligence at the International Tin Association.

Sergio Gaete

Sergio is a Civil Metallurgy Engineer from the University of Atacama with extensive experience in mining mega-projects, mining-metallurgical planning, and operations in the copper, gold, and molybdenum industries. From 2015 to 2022, he served as Project Manager at Codelco’s Project Vice Presidency, managing initiatives in Salvador and Andina with a combined Capex of US$3.4 billion, including the Rajo Inca and Traspaso Andina projects. Previously, he was Project and Development Manager at Minera Esperanza (now Centinela), part of Antofagasta Minerals. He currently serves as Project Director for the Santo Domingo Project at Capstone Copper.

Matt Pyle

Matt Pyle is Ausenco’s Chief Technical Officer and has been with Ausenco for over 20 years. He is passionate about designing, operating and optimising copper concentrators and gold plants that maximise capital efficiency and deliver exceptional value. His expertise spans testwork management, due diligence, detailed design, commissioning, and operations. With a focus on innovation, Matt drives Ausenco’s involvement in novel approaches such as bulk sorting, coarse particle flotation, and novel tailings dewatering and management strategies.

Eric Herrera

Eric Herrera CEO and Co-Founder of Maverick Metals, is a seasoned synthetic scientist. Eric previously worked at Oak Ridge National Institute for Science Education at the US Army Medical Research Institute for Chemical Defense, researching enzymology. He also studied environmental toxicology in Mexico and Ghana. Eric is passionate about bringing biotech solutions to industry to reduce costs and complexity of industrial systems. He also studied anthropology – ask him about the lost temple he found!

Erik Heimlich

Erik Heimlich is Head of Base Metals Supply at CRU. Since joining CRU in 2012, Erik has been involved in the analysis of the copper market with a particular focus on Latin American mine supply.
Erik regularly undertakes site visits to copper operations around the world.

Erik holds an MSc in Economics and Econometrics from Essex University and is based in CRU’s Santiago office.

Lucy Martin

Lucy Martin is a Principal Vice President and General Manager for the South America region of Bechtel’s Mining & Metals Global Business Unit (M&M GBU). She assumed this role in September 2023.Previously, she served as Chief Financial Officer and Operations Manager for the business unit.Lucy has nearly 25 years of experience with Bechtel, serving in management positions of increasing responsibility.

She has held various roles in Business Development and General Management, primarily in the M&M GBU, including as the Strategy, Marketing and Business Development Manager and General Manager for Asia Pacific. In these roles she led the teams responsible for several major new contracts.Lucy has worked in a variety of capacities on five continents in the M&M, Energy and Infrastructure business units.

Her experience includes roles on the Tay wastewater project (UK), Alba Line 5 expansion project (Bahrain), Fjarðaál aluminum smelter project (Iceland) and Caval Ridge project (Australia).She holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) degree in chemical process engineering from the University of Sheffield in the UK. She is a chartered engineer and fellow of Engineers Australia.Lucy is based in M&M’s Santiago office.

Robert Edwards

Robert Edwards has twenty years of experience in the metals and mining industry. Between 1996 and 2004 worked at CRU focusing on the specialty steel and associated materials sectors. Subsequently, he worked for two years as group economist at the steel producer Corus / Tata Steel Europe, in London. In 2007, Robert returned to CRU where he worked on a variety of single client projects related to steel and steelmaking raw materials. In 2010, he took charge of CRU’s North American steel flat products research, with editorial responsibility for the company’s flagship Steel Sheet Monitor and Market Outlook publications.

In November 2012, Robert assumed responsibility for developing copper mining costs in CRU’s base metals unit. After a successful three and a half years in this role, he transitioned to a new position in the first half of 2016, covering global copper demand and markets.

Robert Edwards cuenta con veinte años de experiencia en la industria de minería y metales. Entre 1996 y 2004, se desempeñó en CRU, con un enfoque en los sectores de aceros especiales y materiales asociados. Posteriormente, fue economista del grupo en el productor de acero Corus / Tata Steel Europe, en Londres. En 2007, Robert volvió a CRU, donde trabajó en una variedad de proyectos para clientes individuales en relación con el acero y la materia prima para la industria del acero. En 2010, asumió el cargo de la investigación de productos planos de acero en Norteamérica para CRU, con responsabilidad editorial de las publicaciones insignia de la empresa, Steel Sheet Monitor y Market Outlook.

En noviembre de 2012, Robert asumió la responsabilidad del desarrollo de costos de la minería de cobre en la unidad de metales base de CRU. Luego de tres años y medio de éxito en este cargo, cambió a un nuevo puesto en la primera mitad de 2016, con responsabilidad de la demanda y mercados globales de cobre.

Zuo Geng

MBA and Senior Economist with thirty years of research experience in the metals and minerals  industry. Vice Chairman of the Resource Economy and Planning Committee of the China Geological and Mineral Economics Society and Director of the China Natural Resources Economics Association.

Shujun Ma

Prof Dr Mark Shujun Ma is the founder, chairman and CEO of CIMM Group, which is a global well-known System Integration Service provider & EPC Project Contractor in metallurgical, chemical,mining and new energy industry.Dr Mark Ma is a well-known metallurgist. He has been in metallurgical industry for over 30 years,having been actively engaged in the projects of Copper Smelting, Waste Gas Acid Production and Mercury Removal, now with a focus on Copper Concetrates Trading, Copper Mine Investment,Exploration and Mining.

Adam Simon

Adam Simon is CEO of VectOres Science, Inc. and Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Economic Geology at the University of Michigan. Adam is an expert on the geology and geochemistry of mineral deposits and has led research programs on all seven continents. He co-authored the books Mineral Resources, Economics and the Environment, and Earth Materials: Components of a Diverse Planet, published 115 and supervised or co-supervised nearly 50 MSc. and PhD students. He regularly gives invited lectures around the world including a TEDX talk and was awarded the University of Michigan Teaching Innovation Prize for his transdisciplinary pedagogy

Fred Bradner

Friedrich (Fred) Bradner is the Global VP Strategy and Products for Weirs’ Mineral Division. Fred has been at Weir for 17 years and his past experiences includes: VP Technology and Engineering; VP Strategy, Sales and Marketing; VP Comminution; and Regional Managing Director APAC and China Regions. He has a doctorate in Physical Chemistry from Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia as well as Graduate qualifications in Technology Management.

Prior to working at Weir, Fred worked for 17 years at 3M Company where he carried out various Technology Management and General Management roles at various locations globally.

Fred is Australian born and currently resides in Lima Peru.

Tianyu He

Tianyu He joined CRU’s Shanghai office in 2018. He focuses on research and market intelligence around China Copper demand. Before joining CRU, Tianyu had rich experience in multiple metals market and consulting projects. He holds a Master of International Financial Analysis from Jonkoping International Business School in Sweden.

Rick Valenta

Professor Rick Valenta leads research aimed at improving the discovery,  mining and processing of hydrothermal ore deposits.  His areas of focus include structural geology, geophysics and ore deposit geology, with an overall theme of better understanding the underlying processes which lead to the localisation and characteristics of these deposits.  Rick also has a strong focus on development of 4D mineral systems models from deposit to region scales, using these models to improve targeting techniques, better formulate geological and resource models, and inform prediction of mineral processing performance.

Henry Van

Henry Van is Head of Industrial Metals Analysis for Trafigura, a leading commodities group. He is helping to shape the company’s views on metals and minerals markets and the economic outlook, with a particular focus on industrial metals.Prior to joining Trafigura in 2019, Henry worked for CRU as a Senior Analyst, both in London and Singapore, with a focus on aluminium and industrial power consumption. He started his career with S&P Global Platts as a Pricing Specialist, providing thorough analytical breakdowns of pricing for steel, base metals and LNG.

Patricia Downing

Patricia Downing is Vice President for the Nueva Centinela Project (DMC) at Antofagasta Minerals. With over 40 years of experience, she has led the design and operational setup of mega projects in base metals mining. She spent more than 20 years on the EPC side before  transitioning to leadership roles on the owner’s side, serving as VP and Project Director at BHP, Anglo American, Newmont, MMG, and now AMSA. Currently, she oversees the $4.4 billion concentrator expansion at AMSA, bringing her extensive expertise in project execution and development to one of the industry’s most significant initiatives.

Andres Obrecht

With over 30 years of experience, Andrés Obrecht is a seasoned leader in project management and execution, specializing in engineering and construction for the mining industry. He has successfully led high-performance teams, driving operational excellence and efficiency while maintaining safety standards. At Ausenco, he has played a key role in managing complex, large-scale projects, ensuring seamless delivery and strong financial performance. His expertise spans project development, resource optimization, and risk management, making him a strategic partner in delivering innovative, fit-for-purpose solutions that meet the evolving needs of the mining sector.

Francisco Acuña

Francisco joined CRU Consulting in 2019 after a nine-year career across the base and battery metals sector. Before this Francisco co-founded and led the business development at Kura Minerals, advising on acquisition strategies, deal structuring and project financing across a wide spectrum of mining companies and financial institutions.  Francisco also worked at BHP where he was responsible for geometallurgy and project development at Escondida mine site in northern Chile, and involved in mineral processing R&D for different assets in the company’s Copper group.  During his MSc degree thesis, Francisco explored public policy and macroeconomics aspects of the resource industry´s role in economic growth.  Francisco based in CRU's Santiago office holds a Chemical Engineer degree from University of Concepción, Chile and a M.Sc. Industry, Trade & Development from University of Manchester, United Kingdom.

Peter Harrisson

Dr Peter Harrisson has worked on CRU’s Sulphur and Sulphuric Acid analysis since joining the company in early 2011 and is Head of the Sulphur team. He also works across other nutrient areas, including both market and cost analysis. Prior to joining CRU, Dr Harrisson completed a PhD in Industrial Chemistry at Durham University.

Maria Paz Nuñez

María Paz Núñez is the Vice President of Ausenco Chile, with over 15 years of experience in the mining sector. She has a proven track record in project management, financial oversight, and engineering project control across South America. Since joining Ausenco, she has led regional financial control and global project management. María Paz now oversees the strategic direction of the company’s largest office, leading high-performance teams to deliver innovative solutions.

Patricio Muñoz

With over 30 years of experience, Patricio Muñoz is a leading figure in multidisciplinary mining projects across South America. As Vice President of Commissioning, he oversees engineering, project management, and commissioning teams, leading major projects including BHP's Spence Growth Option, Teck's Quebrada Blanca Phase 2, and Anglo American's Quellaveco. Patricio’s expertise is centered on mining operations and commissioning, particularly in concentrator plants and operational readiness. His ability to build strong teams and deliver exceptional results makes him a key driver in Ausenco’s success in the mining sector.

Nicolas Munoz

Nicolas joined the CRU Base Metals team (based in the Santiago office) as an analyst in July 2023 and is responsible for copper market analysis, with a special focus on the supply of copper from mines, smelting, and refining across the Americas region. At CRU, he has served as the editor of the monthly Copper Concentrates Monitor report and is an active contributor to the market outlook. He is also involved in value-add projects for the Copper Long-Term Market Outlook.   Nicolas holds a degree in Civil Mining Engineering from the University of Santiago de Chile and has five years of experience in the mining industry. Before joining CRU, he worked as an operations management engineer at a major open-pit mining company in Chile and later as a consulting engineer for underground mining projects in Chile and North America for an international engineering firm

Yang Gao

Yang Gao is Sales Director of  Zijin Mining Chemicals. Mr.Gao joined the company in 2023 and had responsibility for sales and marketing in DRC region. Before joining Zijin, Mr.Gao served as analyst in Hongta Securities. Mr.Gao holds a  a B.A. degree in sales and marketing  from Arizona State University and Master degree in Corporate Finance from Arizona State University

Claudia Domínguez Sepúlveda

Claudia Domínguez leads multidisciplinary teams, managing the fulfillment of multiple challenges required in mining businesses through leadership skills and operational excellence.

A Civil Engineer in Extractive Metallurgy with more than 24 years of experience in large-scale mining, among her main challenges at Codelco, she can highlight her roles as Operations Manager in the Andina Division, Oxides Manager in the Chuquicamata Division, and Occupational Health and Safety Manager in the Radomiro Tomic Division. At Antofagasta Minerals, she held the positions of Development Manager, Safety Risk Manager, and Operations Manager at Zaldívar.

In February 2025, she took over as General Manager of Codelco's Radomiro Tomic Division

Natalia Morales

Industrial Civil Engineer from the University of Bío-Bío and Master of Business Administration from IEDE Business School. Holds Diplomas in Coaching, Academic Management, Corporate Innovation, and Consulting. Her work experience combines engineering and construction, education, mining, and other industries. Her professional career has focused on three pillars: people, innovation, and strategic project management. Currently, in her role as Manager of the Mining Competencies Council, she is focused on attracting and developing talent, promoting the incorporation of diversity into the mining industry, and linking with the educational world to drive relevant and agile training that allows the development of the talent and mining knowledge required for Chilean mining to maintain a leadership position worldwide and continue advancing towards better mining.

Francisco Raynaud

Graduated as a Civil Engineer in Civil Works from the University of Santiago, he has built a distinguished 32-year career in engineering studies, industrial plant construction, power generation, and infrastructure for mining, pulp, and the chemical industry. He has led teams at Teck, BHP, BSK, and ICSK, holding roles such as Project Control Manager, Contract and Service Manager, Engineering Manager, Construction Manager, and Project Manager. With experience in Unit Pricing, Lump Sum, EPC, and EPCM contracts from US$500M to US$1.5B, he now contributes to MC Inversiones, a Mitsubishi Corp. subsidiary managing mining investments with BHP, Rio Tinto, Anglo American, AMSA, CMP, Teck, and Glencore.

Sebastian Gatica

Sebastian joined CRU Consulting in early 2024 as a Senior Consultant in the Santiago office. He is an Industrial Engineer with an MBA from the University of Oxford and +10 years of experience working as a manager across multiple mining services providers. At CRU, Sebastian advises global mining companies on critical decisions, managing projects that span strategy, business development, and financial assessments. His expertise lies in translating complex market dynamics into actionable insights, enabling clients to effectively navigate the evolving commodity markets. Prior to CRU Consulting, he held leadership roles in both large corporations and agile startups, where he led high-impact strategic and growth initiatives, while also conducting comprehensive assessments to facilitate organizational decision-making.”

Mikko Keto

Mikko Keto is the current Group CEO of FLSmidth. Originally joining the company in 2021 as Mining President, a position he still holds, Mikko assumed the role of CEO in January 2022. Mikko drives the FLSmidth sustainability ambition, MissionZero, which aims to deliver productivity- enhancing sustainable solutions to the mining and cement industries.

Alongside MissionZero, Mikko’s focus is to ensure continuous, profitable growth to the FLSmidth business, based on his strong experience in creating and implementing new value-driven business models.

Mikko arrived at FLSmidth from Metso Corporation, where he held several senior positions from 2010‐2020. Prior to this, he worked for Kone (2008‐2010) as Sales Head in the Maintenance Business unit. Earlier in his career, Mikko worked in various management and sales positions at the telecom networks giant Nokia.Mikko, who was born in 1967, holds Finnish nationality and has a master's degree in economics from the Helsinki School of Economics.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikko-keto
Introduction video: https://video.flsmidth.com/introducing-mikko-keto-group-ceo-1

Nicolás Rojas

Nicolás Rojas joined CRU in January 2025 as an Analyst within the Base Metals Assets team, based in the Santiago office.

He is a mining engineer with a master’s degree in Mining from Universidad de Chile, where he was awarded the ANID National Master’s Scholarship in 2023. His research focused on the correlation between geometallurgical properties and mechanical behaviour, bridging the fields of Mining and Materials Science.

Before joining CRU, Nicolás gained experience in management consulting at Bain & Company, where he worked as an Associate Consultant. He contributed to Full Potential and Cost Optimization projects for various Chilean mining operations, with a specialization in plant optimization.  

At CRU, Nicolás focuses on copper mining assets across the Americas, providing insights and analytical support to the LATAM team.

Karla Mills

Karla Mills is Teck’s Executive Vice President and Chief Project Development Officer, with responsibility for accelerating growth by advancing Teck’s project delivery. With over 25 years of experience in project development, she brings a proven track record of leadership and expertise, ensuring that Teck’s values and sustainability goals are embedded in every phase of project planning and execution. Karla is deeply committed to aligning project objectives with Teck’s broader strategic vision of responsible growth to provide metals essential to economic development and the energy transition. She champions the power of diverse perspectives to challenge conventional approaches and drive innovation, recognizing that strong, high-performing teams are built on a range of experiences and viewpoints.

Thomas Bower