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'Some think I'm a left-wing loony': Cutifani's goal to remake mining

'Some think I'm a left-wing loony': Cutifani's goal to remake mining

Loquacious Anglo American CEO Mark Cutifani traces his proselytising for a more people-centred industry back to a multicultural Wollongong childhood.

“There was a bit of a European community in Wollongong," says Anglo American chief executive Mark Cutifani. "Still, someone with a name like Cutifani, you were usually in fights every second day." Domenico Pugliese

Hans van LeeuwenEurope correspondent
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In 1974, in the NSW steel town of Wollongong, a 16-year-old half-Italian, half-Irish sports nut had just got his lucky break. The super-keen soccer player had been offered a professional deal, paying the grand wage of $5 a week. Mark Cutifani excitedly took the contract home for his dad to sign.

“I got a three-hour lecture from my old man,” Cutifani, now 62, reminisces. "He said, ‘You’re not going to be a professional soccer player. In Australia you can’t even buy lunch as a professional soccer player.'"

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Hans van Leeuwen
Hans van LeeuwenEurope correspondentHans van Leeuwen covers British and European politics, economics and business from London. He has worked as a reporter, editor and policy adviser in Sydney, Canberra, Hanoi and London. Connect with Hans on Twitter. Email Hans at hans.vanleeuwen@afr.com

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Original URL: https://www.afr.com/companies/mining/some-think-i-m-a-left-wing-loony-cutifani-s-goal-to-remake-mining-20201007-p562q5