New leader appointed for Alcoa Australia

Alcoa Corporation has appointed seasoned resource executive Matt Reed as Vice President Operations – Australia and President Alcoa Australia effective 6 June 2023.

Based in Perth, Matt will be a key member of the company’s global Operations Leadership Team and oversee the experienced teams running Alcoa’s bauxite mining and rehabilitation, alumina refining and aluminium smelting activities in Western Australia and Victoria.

Matt has more than 25 years of Australian and international resource sector experience. Most recently he was Operations Executive of OZ Minerals, leading operating assets and brownfields projects in Australia and Brazil.

Alcoa Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer Bill Oplinger said Matt had a record of strong leadership guided by his integrity and a passion for building motivated teams that can drive business-wide improvements.

“Matt’s previous record includes achievements in delivering improved safety performance, better operational results, and developing the leadership capability of the teams around him,” Bill said.

“The importance of aluminium to help decarbonise the world and support a sustainable future presents many opportunities for our business.

“Matt will be instrumental in ensuring Alcoa Australia is positioned to make the most of those opportunities, while navigating evolving societal expectations about the way we access and use local resources.” 

The integrated nature of Alcoa Australia’s mining, refining and smelting activities will be familiar to Matt who has a combined 15 years of experience associated with iron ore mining and downstream steel production at Whyalla for SIMEC Mining (formerly One Steel and Arrium Mining), including as Chief Operating Officer.

Matt said he was excited by the opportunity to lead Alcoa Australia as it enters the next phase of its long history.

“I am pleased to be appointed at a time when Alcoa Australia is celebrating its 60th year of operation. The period ahead represents an opportunity to provide continuity by maintaining the best features of the company’s history to date, while helping to set new paths for the future,” Matt said.

“I look forward to bringing my wide-ranging experience from operations with long and successful histories that have evolved to meet new market demands; deliver for employees and their communities; and meet the evolving expectations of stakeholders.”

Matt will take over the leadership duties at Alcoa Australia that have been performed in an interim capacity by Rob Bear for the past six months. Alcoa thanks Rob for his leadership during that period.

Full details of Matt Reed’s past experience can be found here.

ENDS

Media contact:
Jodie Read, Director Corporate Affairs, 0404 800 335, jodie.read@alcoa.com

EDITOR’S NOTE:

About Alcoa in Australia
Alcoa has a proud history in Australia which it aims to continue by adding value to the communities where it operates, providing jobs for future generations and protecting and preserving the environment.

• Alcoa’s Australian operations have been contributing to the nation’s economy since 1963, investing more than $14.5 billion over our 60 years.
• Alcoa employs approximately 4,500 people in Australia. Some 4,000 live in Western Australia.
• In our 60 years, Alcoa has taken on more than 2550 apprentices, trainees and graduates.
• In 2021, 75 per cent of Alcoa Australia’s revenue stayed in Australia through wages, local purchasing, taxes, royalties and dividends to Australian shareholders. In 2021, our Australian operations:
  
  • Invested $2.3 billion with 1518 Australian suppliers;
  • Paid more than $255 million in federal, state and local government taxes and royalties;
  • Paid $714 million in Australian wages, salaries and associated benefits; and
  • Made $4.8 million in community contributions.

Discover more by visiting www.alcoa.com/australia, or follow us on our Australian social media channels: Facebook and Instagram

About Alcoa Corporation
Alcoa (NYSE: AA) is a global industry leader in bauxite, alumina and aluminium products with a vision to reinvent the aluminium industry for a sustainable future. Our purpose is to turn raw potential into real progress, underpinned by Alcoa Values that encompass integrity, operating excellence, care for people and courageous leadership. Since developing the process that made aluminium an affordable and vital part of modern life, our talented employees have developed breakthrough innovations and best practices that have led to improved safety, sustainability, efficiency and stronger communities wherever we operate. Discover more by visiting www.alcoa.com, or follow us on our global social media channels: Global channels: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn