Australian battery minerals producer IGO Ltd said on Tuesday it has appointed Ivan Vella, a former executive at mining giant Rio Tinto, as its new chief executive officer. Vella, now chief of Rio Tinto’s aluminium division and a Rio veteran of 20 years, had taken the helm of the miner’s iron ore business in the aftermath of its destruction of rock shelters at Juukan Gorge in Western Australia in 2020.
His appointment comes after former CEO and managing director Peter Bradford’s sudden death in October 2022, and positions him at the helm of one of Australia’s most developed battery minerals and chemicals producers.
IGO holds a minority stake with Tianqi Lithium Corp in a high purity lithium hydroxide plant south of Perth and is working with Wyloo Metals, the private investment arm of iron ore magnate Andrew Forrest, to expand its footprint downstream into battery chemicals via its nickel business.
He replaces IGO’s acting chief executive Matt Dusci, previously chief operating officer.
Vella is set to relocate to Perth with his family from Montreal, where Rio runs its green aluminium business, and will begin in his position no later than Dec. 11.
Rio confirmed Vella’s departure in a statement and said a process to identify his successor is underway. He has stepped down from Rio’s executive committee but will continue to lead the division in the meantime.
