MMG Limited (MMG) today announced the resignation of Geoffrey Gao as Chief Executive Officer. Geoffrey is leaving MMG to return to a role with China Minmetals Corporation (CMC), MMG’s major shareholder in Beijing. Liangang Li, currently the Executive General Manager Australia and Commercial, will replace Geoffrey as interim CEO.
The Company also announced the resignation of Wenqing Guo as the Chairman. Mr Guo is leaving MMG in order to focus on his other duties as the President of CMC. He will be replaced by Mr Jerry Jiao, who was previously Chief Executive Officer and an Executive Director of the Company from February 2017 to August 2018. Prior to this appointment, Mr Jiao was the Chairman of the Company from August 2014 to February 2017.
Geoffrey Gao said: “It has been a privilege to lead the MMG team since I joined the Company as CEO in August 2018. I have been impressed by the strength of our team and their passion for doing the best for our operations”
“MMG is a strong business with assets that are leveraged to the products required to support our transition to a low carbon future. I look forward to following MMG’s journey as it works to achieve the promise that great assets and great people can create.”
“I am pleased that MMG will remain in very safe hands as both Jerry and Liangang were directors at the formation of MMG 12 years ago, with Jerry also having been a former chair and CEO of MMG.”
Mr Jiao said: “I am pleased to again have this opportunity to be the Chairman of MMG and to support Liangang in his role as the interim CEO.”
“MMG continues to be recognised as CMC’s leading international mining company and I am excited to help drive the next phase of the Company’s growth.”
Biographies
Mr Liangang Li
Mr Li, aged 57, has served on the Executive Committee of the Company since January 2020 in his capacity as the Executive General Manager – Commercial. His present role title is Executive General Manager – Australia and Commercial with responsibilities for the Dugald River and Rosebery operations and Australia support functions and also Supply and Marketing.
Mr Li joined CMC in 1987. He has held various senior management positions with subsidiaries of CMC in the PRC, Australia, Mexico and the USA. Mr Li was also a Director of the Company from 2009 to 2012. He was a Vice President of CMN in Beijing, leading several global trading departments from 2016 to 2018. Mr Li was the President and CEO of Minmetals Inc. (L.A.) from 2018 to 2019. Mr Li has extensive experience in international business and the non-ferrous metals industry. Mr Li holds a Bachelor’s degree in English language from the Normal College for Foreign Language of Beijing Union University in the PRC.
Mr Jerry (Jian) JIAO
Mr Jiao, aged 53, was appointed as the CEO, and an Executive Director, of the Company in February 2017. Prior to this appointment, Mr Jiao was the Chairman of the Company from August 2014, the Chairman of the Company’s Governance and Nomination Committee and Risk Management Committee and a member of the Company’s Remuneration Committee from October 2015, and a Non-Executive Director of the Company from December 2010.
Mr Jiao has served as a director of certain subsidiaries of the Company from time to time since 2009, including MMG South America Management Co., Ltd. Mr Jiao was appointed as the Chairman of China Minmetals Non-ferrous Metals Co. Ltd. (CMN) in February 2016, and has been a director of CMN since December 2009. Mr Jiao has also been a director of Hunan Nonferrous Metals Holding Group Co., Ltd. since July 2010.
Mr Jiao holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Economics from the Nankai University in the People’s Republic of China and a Master of Business Administration degree from Saint Mary’s University in Canada. He has extensive experience in international trade, investment and corporate management.
Mr Jiao joined CMC and its subsidiaries in 1992. He was the Vice-President of CMN from 2007 to May 2010. Mr Jiao was the President of CMN from May 2010 to January 2016. He was a director and the President of China Minmetals Non-ferrous Metals Holdings Co. Ltd. from December 2009 to February 2016 and January 2016, respectively. Mr Jiao was a Vice-President of CMC from December 2015 to January 2017. He was also a director of China Minmetals H.K. (Holdings) Limited from August 2016 to March 2017.
ENDS