ArcelorMittal Liberia has announced the appointment of Michiel Van Der Merwe as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective July 1, 2024.
This transition follows the retirement of CEO Josephus Coenen.
Michiel Van Der Merwe, a seasoned mining executive with over 25 years of industry experience, will report to Kleber Silva, Executive Vice president of ArcelorMittal and CEO of ArcelorMittal Mining.
Merwe holds a Bachelor of Engineering in extractive metallurgy from the University of Pretoria, which he obtained in 1996. He began his career at AngloGold Ashanti, advancing from a senior plant metallurgist to a metallurgical engineer by 1999.
His extensive career includes significant roles in various countries: commissioning the Morila gold mine in Mali, managing several plants in South Africa, and serving as Chief Operations Manager at Sylvania Resources in 2010.
In 2012, Michiel became a General Manager with Gold Fields Ghana Ltd, and by January 2023, he was Vice President of Operations, overseeing the Tarkwa and Damang operations.
Michiel expressed his enthusiasm about his new role, stating, “I am looking forward to getting started and spearheading the next chapter of the Phase II Expansion project.
“It is a privilege to be entrusted with leading ArcelorMittal Liberia at a time of such rapid growth, and I look forward to working with our stakeholders to deliver a project of such great significance to the country.”
Kleber Silva, EVP and CEO of ArcelorMittal Mining welcomed Michiel to the team, highlighting his extensive project, operations, and Africa experience as crucial assets for the continued development of ArcelorMittal Liberia.
Silva also expressed gratitude to Joep Coenen for his significant contributions and leadership, wishing him a happy retirement.
ArcelorMittal Liberia looks forward to the new leadership under Merwe as the company progresses towards the remaining stages of the Phase II Expansion project, a development anticipated to bring substantial growth and benefits to Liberia.
