Top 8 new appointees in the aluminium value chain

Change is the only constant thing in life one can be sure about. Change is everywhere, from the weather around us to our daily schedule to even the leadership in a company. Effective leadership plays a crucial role in achieving an organisation's success, given the inevitability of change within the business context. Adopting a culture characterised by resilience and adaptation can provide a team with the capacity to effectively navigate unforeseen crises, organisational transformations, dynamic market circumstances, and cultural fluctuations.

During the past few months, top companies like LME, Tubex, Reynaers, etc, across the aluminium value chain have witnessed many changes in their leadership. Change in leadership or appointing new people in an organisation also ensures a new outlook or approach. Below is a list of new appointees in the aluminium industry in 2023:

London Metal Exchange (LME)

London Metal Exchange (LME) conceived and created in conjunction with the market to deliver cost-effective, EMIR-compliant clearing and settlement services utilising cutting-edge technology, announced the appointment of Michael Carty as Chief Executive Officer and LME Clear Board Director on July 25, 2023, with effect from October 2, 2023. According to the LME, Michael has vast expertise and experience in financial infrastructure and technology. He joins LME Clear from Euroclear Group, where he has held many top positions, including Chief Information Officer and Chief Operations Officer for Euroclear Sweden and Euroclear Finland, CEO of Euroclear Sweden, and, most recently, CEO of Euroclear UK and International.

Reynaers Aluminium

Reynaers Middle East (RME), the regional office of Reynaers Aluminium, one of Europe's leading companies specialising in aluminium solutions, welcomed Bert Geerinckx, the newly appointed Group CEO of Reynaers Aluminium, during his visit to their regional headquarters in Bahrain. RME's Managing Partner, Ali Khalaf, greeted Bert Geerinckx and congratulated him on his new position as Group CEO. Khalaf also expressed his best wishes for Geerinckx's success in his new role.

RME's Managing Director Muhammad Ali Khalaf said, "We are delighted to welcome Bert Geerinckx, the newly appointed Group CEO of Reynaers Aluminium, to the Kingdom of Bahrain. This visit is significant for us as the Bahrain-based regional office of Reynaers Aluminium. Mr Geerinckx's presence here underscores the strong commitment of Reynaers Aluminium to the Middle East region, specifically to the Kingdom of Bahrain."

TUBEX

Cornelius Grupp was named the new CEO of TUBEX Holding, succeeding his father, Dr Cornelius Grupp, who will become Chairman of the Supervisory Board. Under the leadership of Dr Cornelius Grupp, the TUBEX Group has grown to become a leading worldwide supplier of aluminium tubes and aerosol cans. Cornelius Grupp joined the TUBEX Group management team 2018 when he took over the Baltimore-based American subsidiary C-Care. He was crucial in establishing TUBEX's contract manufacturing division in 2022 in collaboration with German affiliate CTA. As CEO of the TUBEX Group, he will continue to manage this segment.

"I will dedicate all my efforts to ensuring the continued success of the TUBEX Group, and am proud to be able to carry on its 75-year corporate history. I am handing over the leadership of the TUBEX Group to my son with great confidence in him and his entrepreneurial abilities," said Cornelius Grupp.

Alcoa

William F. Oplinger was named President and Chief Executive Officer of Alcoa Corporation and a member of the Board of Directors. Oplinger took over the new CEO on September 24, 2023, replacing Roy C. Harvey, who, as per the information, will remain in his role as Strategic Advisor to the CEO until the end of the year. Mr Oplinger, aged 56, has been Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer at the Company since February 2023. Before this role, he served as the Company's Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from November 2016 to February 2023. Harvey assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer of the Company in November 2016 and was appointed President in May 2017. The turnover of the President and CEO positions indicates the Company's strategic approach to succession planning.

NALCO 

On October 12, National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) announced the appointment of Jagdish Arora as Projects and Technical Director. Arora, a highly skilled officer with over 34 years of experience, assumed his duties on October 11, as per the order issued the day before. According to an exchange filing, the directive was published on October 9 by the Ministry of Mines, Government of India. Jagdish Arora has a history in the metal and mining industries and has extensive knowledge and skills. He has an impressive career history, beginning as a Management Trainee (Technical) at Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) in 1989 and rising to Executive Director in charge of SAIL's in-house engineering and technical project consultancy unit, the Centre for Engineering & Technology.

Bharat Aluminium Company Limited

Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), India's renowned aluminium manufacturer and a subsidiary of Vedanta Aluminium Business, named Rajesh Kumar as its next Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Whole Time Director (WTD). With 36 years of industry expertise in operations, maintenance, project execution, and efficient growth at Tata Steel's Indian and Thai plants, Rajesh Kumar received his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Banaras Hindu University (IIT BHU) and his master's degree in business administration from XLRI, Jamshedpur, where he got a gold medal in finance (MBA).

Rajesh Kumar, the recently appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BALCO, holds a significant breadth of expertise in executing extensive projects, fostering organisational excellence, and overseeing the commissioning of industrial facilities. He has contributed substantially to many corporate mergers and acquisitions and successfully guided different industrial facilities to achieve world-class production, productivity, and quality standards.

Ball Corporation 

Ball Corporation, a prominent global producer of circular aluminium packaging for renowned beverage and household brands, has announced the retirement plans of Scott C. Morrison. Mr. Morrison, who currently holds the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at the company's Colorado headquarters, has dedicated over twenty years of service to the organisation. On September 25, Howard Yu, aged 51, will assume the role of executive vice president and chief financial officer (CFO), succeeding Morrison. Morrison will continue to serve as a senior advisor to the company to facilitate a smooth transition and complete the expected Aerospace acquisition.

TVS Holdings

Sudarshan Venu, Venu Srinivasan's son, was appointed the company's new Managing Director for five years. Sundaram Clayton, a well-known producer and supplier of automotive aluminium castings that the TVS Group oversaw, was renamed TVS Holdings earlier this year. TVS Group is one of India's most prestigious automotive component makers, rooted in the two-wheeler sector. TVS Holdings is India's leading supplier of aluminium die castings to the automotive and non-automotive industries.