THE TEAM

Mikael Staffas is the President and CEO of Boliden. He has been a member of the top management group at Boliden since 2011, first as CFO and then as Head of Business Area Mines before taking over as CEO in 2018. Mikael is the Chairman of the board of GAF and Vice-Chairman of Industriarbetsgivarna and SveMin as well as a member of the Executive Board of Svenskt Näringsliv. He is the chairman of the International Zinc Association and member of the board of ICMM. He also serves on the board of the chemical company Kemira. Mikael holds a MSC in Engineering Physics from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and an MBA from INSEAD in Fontainebleu, France.

Mark Rachovides is the President Emeritus of Euromines and serves as Chairman of Venus Minerals, Director of GreenRoc Mining, and Consultant to Dundee Precious Metals. He has over 25 years of experience in the natural resources sector, including senior board and advisory roles with companies operating across Europe and internationally. He previously spent 11 years at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and has contributed to numerous international industry bodies and forums. He holds holds an MA from Oxford University.

Dr. Roman Stiftner, CSE, is the Vice President of Euromines, with extensive experience in European mining, metals, logistics and industrial policy. He is the Managing Director of the Austrian Mining and Steel Association and the Austrian Non-Ferrous Metals Federation, President of the Austrian Logistics Association (BVL) and the European Shippers Council, Director General of EUMICON, and a member of the Executive Committee of European Aluminium.

Jani Lösönen is the Treasurer of Euromines and has served as Vice President, Europe and Managing Director of Agnico Eagle Finland since 2017, bringing nearly 25 years of experience in the mining industry. Prior to joining Agnico Eagle, he held senior production and business leadership roles at Kemira and Ekokem, including Head of Commercial Operations in Finland, overseeing business units, sales and supply chain management. He also serves on the boards of several companies and organisations, including the Finnish Mining Association (FinnMin). He graduated from the Lappeenranta University of Technology with a Master’s degree in industrial engineering and management.

Pekka Suomela is the Executive Officer of the Finnish Mining Association (FinnMin), the national organisation representing Finland’s mining and minerals sector. He has extensive experience in mining and mineral policy, having previously served as Chief Inspector of Mines at Finland’s Ministry of Employment and the Economy. He brings more than 15 years of experience in the sector. He holds a Master of Law from the University of Helsinki, Finland.

Wiktor Kowalczyk manages the department responsible for funding applications at KGHM Polska Miedź S.A., with a focus on innovation, environmental protection and energy efficiency. He has extensive experience in securing EU funding, including through the EU Framework Programmes, Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe. From 2014 to 2016, he chaired the National Intelligent Specialisation Group on modern technologies for the extraction, processing and use of natural resources at Poland’s Ministry of Development.

Rolf Kuby is the Director General of Euromines, with extensive experience in EU public affairs, advocacy and policy, particularly in the areas of environment, climate and energy. He leads Euromines’ engagement with EU policymakers and work on sustainability and industrial policy. Before joining Euromines in 2021, he served as Head of the EU Brussels Office of WirtschaftsVereinigung Stahl and, previously, as Director External Affairs and Head of the EU Office at Aurubis.

Lluís Rodríguez is the Vice President of Corporate Relations, HR Iberia and Europe External Communications at ICL Iberia, with extensive experience in public affairs, corporate relations and legal affairs. He joined ICL in 2015 and has held several senior positions within the organisation, with a particular focus on public affairs and stakeholder engagement. He also represents ICL in leading Spanish business and industry associations, including Foment del Treball, Confedem, Círculo de Economía and Fedequim.

Maria Sunér has been CEO of Svemin, the Swedish Association for Mines, Minerals and Metal Producers, since 2019. She brings extensive experience in European business, energy and industrial policy, having held senior positions at the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise and the Swedish Association of Energy Producers, as well as roles with the World Bank and E.ON. She has worked extensively with BusinessEurope and Eurelectric and is an honorary member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering. She also served as Vice Chair of the Energy and Environment Committee for Business at OECD and as a member of the World Energy Council’s International Advisory Group.

Peter Richardson holds an MSc in Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy from Luleå University of Technology in Sweden. He is an experienced mining executive with over 30 years of international experience across Europe, North America and South America, specialising in the base metals and gold sectors. Before joining LKAB as Senior Vice President of Iron Ore, Peter held senior leadership positions at Boliden, Lundin Mining and Barrick Gold. His expertise spans health and safety, environmental management and permitting, social performance, operations, project management, exploration, procurement and strategic planning.