Panel discussion: Is the European Mining Sustainable Under Current ESG Pressures?

Aldo Pennini is a corporate affairs executive with 25 years’ experience and a career spanning government, global corporate and international membership organisation. He was recently Director of Communications at the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) where he engaged multi-stakeholder networks to transform the approach to communications, finding common ground among the world’s leading mining companies on shifting perceptions of the industry. Prior to that he spent eight years at Anglo American Plc serving as Director of External Affairs in Australia rebranding and positioning the business among key stakeholder groups. During that time he was appointed Chief of Staff in the company’s London headquarters serving two Chief Executives where he acquired a unique perspective on the leadership and operational dynamics at the top of a multinational corporation, as well as establishing an exceptional global industry network. Aldo began his career in government spending more than 14 years serving as senior policy advisor and Chief of Staff to State Premiers and Ministers in New South Wales and Queensland (Australia) where he shaped policy and negotiated legislation ranging from natural resource management to carbon emissions trading and multicultural affairs.

An impassioned advocate of responsible investment, Gavin has been a prominent writer, broadcaster and commentator for over two decades. His book, Frontier, was acclaimed as a “must-read” by the Financial Times. His next book is due for release by Macmillan in Q4 2020 titled Chain Reaction: How Blockchain Will Transform the Developing World. Gavin’s work leading Bloomberg’s teams of journalists uncovering the world of derivatives that triggered the global financial crisis won him the Society of American Business Editors & Writers’ Best in Business Award and the Society of Professional Journalists’ Deadline Club Award. Subsequently creating and leading Bloomberg’s Emerging Markets team, Gavin founded New Markets Media & Intelligence to help increase understanding of the challenges and opportunities in emerging markets and technology through his own writing, and through constant and proactive dialogue with the most influential journalists, investors, and leaders. He regularly organizes and chairs key global forums, including the recent Bloomberg Emerging & Frontier Forum and events at Nasdaq and the London Stock Exchange.

Fiona Cessford MSc, MIMMM, PrSciNat is a Corporate Consultant with 30 years’ experience in environment, social and governance (ESG) management. Fiona’s global experience includes ESIAs, permitting, project engineering studies and due diligence studies. As part of multidisciplinary teams, she provides ESG expertise with reference to the relevant financial, industry and globally recognised standards, as well as host country requirements.

Hélène Piaget is the CEO of Responsible Mining Foundation, based in Switzerland. The Foundation supports the view that mining is an important contributor to the wellbeing of societies, but that we need to ensure responsible mining actually benefits the economies, improves the lives of peoples and respects the environments of producing countries.