What sparked your interest in pursuing a career in mining and minerals?
My story is probably similar to that of many in the mining profession – I come from a family of geo-scientists, so it just kind of happened organically for me. When I was a little kid, I remember thinking mining and minerals were the most important matters in the world since that was often discussed at the dinner table and we had rock samples displayed on the windowsills in our flat in Moscow.
What part of your career makes you the most excited?
Two things really – firstly, the global scope which has allowed me to travel all over the world (before the pandemic) and, secondly, the variety of roles and the cross-functional nature of the roles I have been fortunate to be in throughout my career.
What mining/engineering innovations are you most excited about?
Certainly everything that pertains to carbon emission reduction – from renewable energy, micro grids and energy storage, to smart analytics and battery electric trucks, and how the energy transition is getting integrated into the business model of a mining company.
Where do you think the industry will take you in the next decade?
With many companies in our industry making commitments to reduce carbon emissions by at least 30% by 2030, I am beyond excited to see where the industry will take all of us in the next decade. It will take an unprecedented shift in how we source and use energy in our mining operations. I think one of the biggest forces shaping how the industry operates in the future will be ESG, and the strategies to address climate and water challenges will be business critical for our industry’s future.
What is something that someone outside the industry would find surprising about what you do?
Perhaps how multi-faceted the role of decarbonization program manager is – ensuring the alignment of so many different function (finance & planning, operations, projects, technical services, sustainability and external relations, investor relations, data & analytics, communications, executive sponsors, steering committee, and I am probably forgetting some others).
What is something your SME membership has given you that you didn’t anticipate when you first joined?
Access to a strong network of amazing people who care deeply about the industry. I think when I first joined, I had an image of this very formal and impersonal organization, but over the years, I’ve realized that SME is truly more like a large network of family & friends. It is so encouraging to see the organization’s efforts to grow and evolve, to provide thought leadership to our many industry stakeholders and to see the growing pipeline of young professionals and students joining our organization.
