Dino Otranto has left his position as chief operating officer at Vale’s North Atlantic Operations and Asian Refineries in Sudbury to take a position with the Australian mining company Fortescue Metals Group.
According to a Sept. 23 article posted to the Australian Mining website, Otranto will start his new position as COO of iron ore with the Perth-based miner starting in November.
The company said Otranto takes on the role as part of a reshuffling of its executive team.
“We are diversifying our business to become an integrated, global green renewables and green resources company,” said Elizabeth Gains, Fortescue’s chief executive officer, in the article.
“At this important juncture in Fortescue’s journey it is timely to refresh and renew our executive team with new perspectives and opportunities, global experience and deep understanding of our green iron ore, renewables and green industry future.”
Officials at Vale were not immediately available for comment on Otranto’s departure or who his successor will be.
Otranto was appointed to the Sudbury position in 2019, taking over from the previous COO, Ricus Grimbeek, in 2019.
He presided over a two-month-long strike by members of the United Steelworkers Local 6500 this past summer, which ended in early August with the ratification of a five-year deal with the nickel mining giant.
Originally from Germany, Otranto previously served as director of technology and development for Vale’s global Base Metals business in Toronto.
He has many years of operational leadership and experience with global mining companies, including BHP and South 32 in Australia, where he served as vice-president of operations of the company’s Worsley Alumina business.
