By Kelly Louiseize
Mark Cutifani's parting words of wisdom is to continue keeping the lines of communication open with its new parent, CVRD Inco.
“The future of Sudbury is in the hands of the people of Sudbury and by that I mean the community and the employees.”
Building a relationship with an international mining company that is anticipated to be one, if the not the largest, mining company in the next five years, can be done with honesty, openness and transparency, he says.
Dialogue with community leaders and the Brazilian-based mining company is essential, since executives are eager to understand the dynamics of the Canadian culture with open, constructive feedback.
“They are still wrapping their arms around what they have purchased in terms of the old Inco.”
Previous commitments announced by Cutifani will still be honoured by the company including Totten Mine developments and Copper Cliff Deep project where new reserves will be coming on line along with an increased workforce.
As well, conversations between CVRD Inco and Xstrata Nickel teams to identify and share mine infrastructure and resources are still ongoing. It will be up to the community, and company leaders to establish partnerships for the future.
Cutifani is not sure who will replace him. It has been said the next COO will require Canadian citizenship.
The legacy he hopes to have left behind is one of a new future for Sudburians. A strategy has been laid out and the groundwork started. Now, it will be up to the community, including CVRD Inco, to carry it forward.
“Everyone has to realize that it is all about relationships going forward and we are going to make mistakes as long as we recover quickly.”
Change for some is difficult, but for the Cutifani family, it’s a constant.
“For me, it was an opportunity to take the next step,” he says in a phone interview from his Toronto base.
“If you look at the last two years there has been a fairly significant changing of the guards.”
A number of major mining leaders are moving on and their positions are now being replaced by people in their 40s and early 50s, he says.
“I would like to think we are rare,” he gives a jovial laugh, “but there are a lot of good people in the industry.”
The last two years in the mining industry has been a flurry of activity with mergers, partnerships and new projects coming to surface, but the energetic leader says he is undaunted by the busy agenda.
“I am not sure anything is hard if you’re enjoying it and I have to say I have always enjoyed this and the best thing about it are the people you meet.”
Three years ago, the Inco staff developed a successful strategy with Cutifani refining the direction. The aim was to increase production, while keeping costs in line. It came at a time when metal prices were on the upswing.
In their recent quarterly report CVRD reported net income of US$2.5 billion, an increase of 134 per cent, which analysts say is in large part attributed to the new CVRD Inco operations and strong metal prices.
Now Fred Stanford, president of Ontario operations has come in when the nickel prices have pretty much peaked, Cutifani says.
“Fred has to now ride it back to reality.”
But his advantage is in working with efficient, cohesive teams. Yet, there is still lots of work to be done on the relationship front, Cutifani says. Employee relations and union involvement will be part of that process. Stanford is currently working on further defining a new company and community strategic plan.
Cutifani's house on Long Lake will be going up for sale against the wishes of his four children. They wanted to keep it to come back to, but both Mark and wife Luana have decided it is too big to maintain.
Instead, they are considering a smaller property on one of the surrounding lakes.
Cutifani says his new move is in line with his value system of becoming a partner in the community by working for the people to create opportunity.
The 49-year old CVRD Inco chief operating officer resigned to become chief executive officer of AngloGold Ashanti, one of the world's leading gold producers.
He replaces Bobby Godsell who is retiring from the company.
Cutifani oversaw CVRD Inco's global nickel business, including Sudbury and Thompson, Man. He will assume his new duties in mid-September.
Anglo American has approximately 41 per cent share of Anglo Gold Ashanti. In the future they will be selling their position, while trying to protect shareholder value.
It was not more than 10 years ago Anglo American was looking to buy CVRD, as was BHP Billiton and Australia’s Western Mining Corporation. Cutifani was working for Western Mining at the time the Brazilian company went from being state owned to a private company.
