Vedanta appoints former Anglo American Platinum CEO Chris Griffith, as CEO for Base Metals
Vedanta Resources today announced the appointment of Chris Griffith, former CEO of Gold Fields, one of the largest producers of gold in the world, as the Chief Executive Officer for Base Metals & President of its International Businesses, effective October 2nd 2023. He will be leading the Group’s international zinc business in South Africa and Namibia, its iron ore business in Liberia and the entire copper portfolio including KCM, Zambia, Fujairah, UAE and Sterlite Copper in India.
Before Gold Fields, Chris served as the CEO of two major businesses at global mining major, Anglo American – Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) and Kumba Iron Ore. At Amplats, he was behind a phenomenal improvement in operational performance, increasing EBITDA by 1500% during his tenure. At Kumba, the fourth largest iron ore company in the world, he was responsible for a big ramp up in production ahead of schedule. Revenue increased by 127% during his stint as CEO.
Announcing the appointment, Anil Agarwal, Chairman, Vedanta Group said, “We are delighted to welcome Chris Griffith to Vedanta as the CEO for Base Metals & President International. His extensive experience in the mining industry and leadership track record at Gold Fields, Angloplats and Kumba make him an invaluable addition to our team especially as we embark on an exciting growth phase in our copper business with the return of KCM to our portfolio. Chris’s growth mindset along with a strong commitment to sustainability aligns perfectly with Vedanta’s core values.”
In his new role as CEO for Base Metals, Chris Griffith will assume responsibility for steering both the Vedanta Zinc International and Vedanta Copper businesses, including operations at Konkola Copper Mines in Zambia as well as oversight for the downstream processing businesses of the company across India and the Middle East. As President International, Chris will be part of the broader strategic leadership for the company and will provide guidance for Vedanta’s operations outside India, including the Iron ore business in Liberia.
Speaking on his appointment, Chris Griffith said, “I am excited to take on this new role at Vedanta, one of the world’s most exciting and fast-growing mining and metals companies. I look forward to driving innovation, operational efficiency, and sustainable growth to Vedanta’s Base Metals businesses, creating KCM as a cornerstone asset for the company and growing the group internationally. Together, we will deliver value to all our stakeholders in different geographies.”
Chris holds a bachelor’s degree in mining engineering from the University of Pretoria.
About Vedanta Resources
Vedanta Resources Limited (“Vedanta”), headquartered in London, is a diversified global natural resources company spanning across India, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa, Liberia, UAE, Korea, Taiwan and Japan. The Vedanta Group has significant operations in Oil & Gas, Zinc, Lead, Silver, Copper, Iron Ore, Steel, Nickel, Aluminium, Power, & Glass Substrate and is now foraying into Semiconductors and Display Glass business. For two decades, Vedanta has been contributing significantly to nation building. Governance and sustainable development are at the core of Vedanta’s strategy, with a strong focus on health, safety, and environment. Vedanta has put in place a comprehensive framework to be the ESG leader in the natural resources sector. Vedanta is committed to reducing carbon emissions to zero by 2050 or sooner and has pledged $5 billion over the next 10 years to accelerate the transition to net zero operations. Giving back is in the DNA of Vedanta, which is focused on enhancing the lives of local communities. The company’s flagship social impact program, Nand Ghars, have been set up as model anganwadis focused on eradicating child malnutrition, providing education, healthcare, and empowering women with skill development. Anil Agarwal Foundation, the umbrella entity for Vedanta’s social initiatives, has pledged Rs 5000 crore over the next five years on various social impact programs. Vedanta Ltd. has been listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index 2022, conferred Golden Peacock Award for excellence in Corporate Governance 2022 and certified as a Great Place to Work 2023.
