(Justmeans.com / CSR News) -

Dr. R. Anthony (Tony) Hodge has been appointed ICMM President and will take up his position on 1 October 2008.

ICMM Chairman (and Chief Executive Officer, Lonmin) Brad Mills welcomed Tony Hodge at a meeting of the ICMM Council – made up of the CEOs of all member companies – held in Miami on Wednesday 14 May.

Brad Mills said, “I am looking forward to working with Tony– he has an excellent track record in the industry, and is ideally positioned to lead ICMM as we work towards a sustainable future for the mining and metals industry.”

Tony Hodge said, “This is an exceptional opportunity - my enthusiasm for this role has only grown since having the opportunity to interact with the CEOs of our member companies this week. ICMM has made great progress since its creation in 2001, although there are many exciting and significant challenges ahead.”

Tony Hodge is a leading authority on sustainable development in mining. He has worked as a professional engineer and consultant to industry and as an advisor to government during the course of his distinguished career. He served on the Canadian Prime Minister’s National Roundtable on Environment and Economy (1992-96), led the North American component of the Mining Metals and Sustainable Development (MMSD) project (2001-02) and was President of Friends of the Earth Canada (1989-92).

He is currently Kinross Professor of Mining and Sustainability in the Department of Mining Engineering, and Helen and Arthur Stollery Professor of Mining Engineering and Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering, at Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

To help ensure a smooth transition to the new President, Dr. John Groom has accepted an interim role as Chief Operating Officer working with Tony Hodge and ICMM. John will be on a full-time secondment from Anglo American, a founding company member of ICMM, during this period.

Tony Hodge said, “I have known John Groom for over 10 years, having first worked with him during the MMSD project. His knowledge and experience of the foundation and continued growth of ICMM will be invaluable in the coming months.

“I would also like to thank my predecessor, Paul Mitchell. He leaves an organization that is well placed to help its members and the industry meet the significant challenge of delivering essential materials for humanity in an environmentally and socially sustainable way.”