Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) has appointed Jérôme Pécresse to lead its aluminium business, succeeding Ivan Vella.
Pécresse, who until recently was President and CEO of General Electric (GE) Renewable Energy, will join the mining behemoth on 23 October this year.
A French citizen with over 30 years of business experience, including senior leadership roles in global companies in the mining and energy fields, Pécresse joined as President and CEO of GE Renewable Energy in 2015 when the company completed its acquisition of Alstom’s energy activities.
With 40,000 employees around the world, Rio Tinto reports GE Renewable Energy had the broadest portfolio of equipment, projects, and services in the industry, across hydropower, solar and storage, onshore and offshore wind, as well as for the electricity grid.
At Alstom, Pécresse also led the company’s renewable energy business.
Before joining Alstom in 2011, he spent 13 years in the mining and metals processing industry at Paris-based global industrial minerals producer Imerys in various roles and ultimately as Chief Operating Officer.
Pécresse started his career at Credit Suisse First Boston and is a graduate from Ecole Polytechnique and Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées.
“Jérôme brings a wealth of experience across renewable energy, mining, business development and strategy…”
Pécresse says he is thrilled to be joining Rio Tinto “to continue building a stronger and more sustainable global Aluminium business with our team around the globe”.
“We have a key role to play in delivering on Rio Tinto’s strategy and supplying materials needed in a low carbon world.”
Addressing the appointment, Rio Tinto Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm says: “Jérôme brings a wealth of experience across renewable energy, mining, business development and strategy, ideal for shaping our industry leading aluminium business for a low carbon future. I look forward to welcoming Jérôme to Rio Tinto and to the diverse contribution I know he will make to our business at this critical moment for our industry.”
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
Images: Rio Tinto
