MMG on the hunt for a new managing director as Andrew Michelmore retires

The mining industry veteran has announced he will resign as head of MMG and bid farewell to full time executive work.

Mining industry veteran Andrew Michelmore has announced he will retire mid next year.

Mining industry veteran Andrew Michelmore has announced he will retire from his job running Melbourne-based copper and zinc miner MMG, and from executive life, from around the middle of next year.

Before becoming managing director of MMG (MMG), Michelmore, was chief executive of Oz Minerals (after Oxiana Resources and Zinifex merged), Russia’s Rusal and was at the helm of WMC Resources when it was taken over by BHP Billiton in 2005.

“After 14 years as Chief Executive of four different companies it is time for me to seek new challenges after concluding my full time executive career,” Mr Michelmore said yesterday.

The retirement announcement comes after what looks like a successful start to production at the big Las Bambas copper mine in the Peruvian Andes, which the Hong Kong-listed, Chinese controlled MMG bought from Xstrata for $US6 billion.

At MMG, a succession process will now start to consider both internal and external candidates.

“The Board looks forward to continuing to work with Mr Michelmore and acknowledges his dedication and significant contribution to the success of MMG to date,” MMG chairman Jerry Jiao said.

“The Board and Andrew have agreed it is important for him to stay on until mid-2017 to oversee the production ramp up of Las Bambas and other key strategic initiatives.”