Welcome to our Digital Activity Report 2021-2022!
To discover what you will find in this report and what our priorities are for 2022, click on the right-hand play button to view a welcome video from our Chair, Ingrid Jörg. Then scroll down to read a statement from our Director General, Paul Voss, speaking about European Aluminium’s priorities.
Welcome to our Digital Activity Report 2021-2022! I started as European Aluminium’s new Director General in February, following in the footsteps of Gerd Götz, who successfully led the Association for nearly a decade. I am truly honoured to take on this role during what will be a vital period for both the European aluminium industry and the wider project of the European Green Deal.
Alumimium is THE base metal for making the European Green Deal. Not only is it endlessly recyclable, but it’s also a critical component in countless low carbon technologies. Think about electric cars, energy-efficient houses and circular packaging solutions, as well as renewable energy technologies such as wind and solar power, batteries, and electricity cables. But navigating today’s challenging and unpredictable geopolitical context while pushing forward with the green transition calls for bold and decisive action from our industry and policymakers.
On our end, we will contribute to strengthening and greening Europe’s industrial base by sharing our expertise, collaborating with other sectors, and stepping up our sustainability commitments. Our immediate priorities include ensuring the ‘Fit for 55’ package works for aluminium, striving for climate-neutrality and strengthening trade defence against unfair practices.
I am certain European Aluminium’s incredible community of members and colleagues will help ensure aluminium’s future will be as shiny as its surface. Though I’m new to the job, the organisation and the industry, I am already hugely impressed by their talent, diversity, and drive. You will read all about their recent achievements in this activity report.
We hope you enjoy it and feel free to share your thoughts with us!
Director General of European Aluminium
Ingrid Jörg has been President of Constellium’s Aerospace and Transportation business unit since June 2015, overseeing five facilities in France, Switzerland and the United States for several markets, including commercial aviation, space, transportation, industry and defence. Previously, she served as Chief Executive Officer of Aleris Rolled Products Europe. Prior to that she held leadership positions with Alcoa where she was President of its European and Latin American Mill Products business unit, and commercial positions with AMAG Austria. Ingrid received a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Linz, Austria.
Philipp Schlüter is the CEO of TRIMET. He joined TRIMET Schweiz AG in 2009, where he held senior positions in the areas of risk management, raw material procurement and energy management as well as in retail trade and aluminium product sales. The eldest son of Heinz-Peter Schlüter, the founder of TRIMET, Philipp Schlüter represented the owner’s family as Vice-Chairman of the Supervisory Board from 2016-2018. On 26 November 2018, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer. This appointment demonstrates the family’s interest in continuing its active support for future sustainable development in the business.
Philipp Schlüter studied business administration in Bern and London. On receiving his Master’s degree in business management, he began his professional career at UBS Investment Bank in London
Paul Warton has been Executive Vice President for Hydro Extrusions since 2021.
Paul came from a job as business unit president at aluminium company Constellium. He is a UK national with extensive experience in the aluminium industry, including different leadership positions in U.S.-based aluminium company Alcoa and in aluminium extrusions company Sapa (now a part of Hydro) which he joined in 2005.
Warton was responsible for Sapa Building Systems EMEA in 2005-2006 and later headed Sapa Profiles North Europe in 2007-2009.
He has a BSc degree from the University of Birmingham, UK, and an MBA from London Business School.
Emilio Braghi is Senior Vice President and President, Novelis Europe. In his role, which he assumed in September 2016, he oversees ten European facilities for recycling and manufacturing aluminium for a number of sectors, including automotive, building, packaging, and transportation.
Previously, Emilio was Vice President, Operations, Novelis North America. Before that, he served as Vice President, Sales and Operations for Novelis Asia, responsible for all commercial and manufacturing activities in the region. Prior to joining the Asia leadership team in March 2012 as Vice President, Operations, Emilio served as Vice President and General Manager of the Specialties value stream in Europe.
From 2006 to 2012, he held various general management roles with Novelis Europe’s Litho and Painted Products value streams. Prior to the formation of Novelis, Emilio had been with Alcan since 1999, where he began as Sales Manager, Europe.
Emilio graduated in engineering and industrial production technologies from Politecnico di Milano.
Dr. Constantin Catsaros is a member of the Board of Directors for a number of Elval Group companies. He has worked for ELVAL since 1974 and works mainly with the company's international development team. He was also chairman of aluminium rolling plants in Europe.
Before joining Elval, Constantinos had worked for six years for Pechiney in France. He also served as chairman and vice-chairman of the Aluminium Association of Greece.
Constantinos is a graduate in mechanical-electrical engineering from the National Technical University of Athens; aircraft constructor/ engineer of École Nationale Superieure d’ Aeronautique in Paris and holds an engineering Doctorate from Paris University.
Arnaud de Weert is CEO of ALVANCE. He joined GFG Alliance in June 2019 to lead ALVANCE, the group’s global aluminium business. He was appointed Group COO in March 2020 whilst retaining his role of CEO of ALVANCE.
Mr. de Weert has held a number of senior roles in the sector, including CEO of Aludium, Operating Partner at Atlas, a US-based private equity firm that bought the Aludium assets from Alcoa, and North American President for Owens-Illinois, one of the world’s largest glass bottle manufacturers. He has also previously held top posts at global aluminium producers Constellium and Novelis.
He is a Dutch national who graduated in business economics from the Erasmus University of Rotterdam and has spent most of his career in manufacturing; spearheading major change and growth programmes for large international enterprises in sectors including hygiene products, packaging, hand tools and power tools, as well as aluminium, which has been his principal focus.
Gerald Mayer is CEO of AMAG Austria Metall AG, a high-quality primary, cast and rolled aluminium manufacturer with two production sites in Ranshofen, Austria, and Sept-Îles, Canada. Gerald joined AMAG in September 2007 as a Member of the Board & Chief Financial Officer. He was a Member of the Alouette Owners’ Committee until 2019, having been Chairman of the Committee for two years. He was appointed as CEO in March 2019.
From 2000 until 2007, he held various management roles in the plant building business at Siemens VAI Metals Technologies GmbH & Co and VA Technologie AG in Austria. Previously Gerald was a public accountant and tax consultant. An Austrian national, he studied business administration at the Johannes Kepler University of Linz, Austria, with one year at the Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Roberta Niboli is the CEO of Raffmetal, a leading producer of aluminium alloys for remelting made from 100% recycled material.
Since 1979, Raffmetal has been part of Silmar Group. The Group, established in 1970 by Roberta’s father Silvestro Niboli, is active in the recycled aluminium, heating, plumbing and drainage, safety and furnishing sectors.
From 2005 to 2009 and from 2015 to 2017, Roberta was President of the Italian Aluminium Refiners Association (Assiral) and a member of the Organisation of European Refiners and Remelters (OEA) Council. On 10 July 2009, she was elected President of OEA, previously European Aluminium’s Recycling Division. She chaired this division until 2015.
Roberta is an economics graduate and has a range of international work experience.
Simon Pelletier is General Manager, Global Metal Sales, Aluminium, Rio Tinto. Before joining Rio Tinto in France in 2004, Simon worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers where he was involved in acquisition advisory work for corporate and private equity buyers/investors for international clients.
At Rio Tinto, he held various finance roles with Alcan’s Engineered Products and Mergers & Acquisitions in Paris, France, where he worked on diverse buy and sell-side international corporate development transactions. In 2008, he relocated to Montreal where he was responsible for mergers, acquisitions and divestments for Rio Tinto Alcan. In 2014, he moved to Singapore to become Director, Sales & Marketing for Asia-Pacific.
Simon holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from École des Hautes Études Commerciales, Montréal and a CPA designation from the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants of Québec.
John Slaven is Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer for Alcoa, responsible for the daily operations of the company’s global bauxite, alumina and aluminium assets. John also focuses on Alcoa’s global aluminium smelting system, its network of casthouses, U.S. rolling mill, and the corporation’s substantial energy assets. He is a member of the Alcoa Executive Team, which sets the strategic direction for the corporation.
John has extensive experience in the metals and mining business, including global experience in several commodities and industry sectors across the aluminium value chain. Prior to joining Alcoa, he served for 13 years as a Partner and Managing Director at The Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, he holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Cape Town. John is based in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Roman Stiftner has been Managing Director of the Austrian Mining and Steel Association and the Austrian Non Ferrous Metals Federation within the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber since 2008.
In 2017, Roman was elected as a Member of the Executive Board of European Aluminium and as Chairman of the European National Associations. He has been Vice President of Euromines since 2016 and a Member of the Euromines Steering Committee since 2014.
In 2011, he became Secretary General of the European Raw Materials platform ‘Eumicon’ and President of the Austrian Logistic Association. From 2008 until 2015, Roman was a Member of the Vienna Provincial Parliament. Prior to that, he was CEO of Dematic Austria, Central-Eastern-Europe and Head of Department for logistics automation of Siemens AG Austria. After finishing technical college, Roman studied at the Technical University as well as at the Economic and Business University of Vienna and graduated in 1994.
Rob van Gils is the CEO and Managing Partner of HAI Group. HAI is a well-known brand in aluminium extrusions and billets. It is one of the largest family-owned businesses within the European aluminium industry and operates out of six locations; four in Germany and one in Romania, with its headquarters in Ranshofen, Austria.
After taking over the role of Group CEO, Rob has significantly changed the portfolio of HAI Group in recent years. Supported by consequent investments in backward and forward integration, HAI now covers the entire value chain; recycling, billet production, extrusions, and aluminium components for building and construction, industrial applications, and the transportation industry.
Rob brings a well-established background in mechanical engineering and business administration to his role. Prior to his appointment as CEO, he held several management positions within HAI and AMAG, providing him with more than 15 years of experience within the aluminium industry. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Applied Sciences in Deggendorf, Germany, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Louisville.