2024 Annual Conference

Jack Bedder

Jack is a Founder and Director of Project Blue, which provides market intelligence on critical materials for energy transition.  He is an economist and political scientist with over 15 years’ experience of analysing the economics of natural resources and leading commodity research and consultancy. Before founding Project Blue, Jack Bedder was Head of Research at Roskill, leading its global team of analysts.  Before that, he worked in public policy in both the private and public sectors. He has a PhD from the University of Cambridge where his research explored the behaviours which shape critical materials supply chains.

Vincent Braet

Vincent Braet works at Umicore as Purchase Manager for Manganese raw materials. Prior to his commercial role he has focused on the development and implementation of Cobalt and Nickel refinery projects within Umicore’s battery activities. Vincent holds a master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the KU Leuven and obtained a Post-Graduate degree in Corporate Finance. Umicore is a leading circular materials technology company with extensive expertise in the fields of material science, chemistry and metallurgy. Umicore is an innovation and technology leader in NMC (Nickel, Manganese, Cobalt) cathode active materials, the key performing component in batteries determining safety, driving range, durability and carbon footprint. During his session Vincent will outline Umicore’s battery materials technology portfolio with a focus on the increasing presence of Manganese in technologies like near-term zero Cobalt Nickel Manganese (NMx) and Manganese-rich technologies (HLM).

Prakash Chaudhari

COO, Jindal Shadeed Iron and Steel LLC

Kris De Bruyne

Kris De Bruyne has worked for the Belgian DEME group (www.deme-group.com) for 13 years, initially working in DEME’s Activity Lines Dredging and Offshore Renewables. In 2015, Kris joined Global Sea Mineral Resources (GSR), DEME’s deep seabed mining division (www.deme-gsr.com). GSR has been exploring the possibility of collecting seafloor polymetallic nodules that contain, on average, Ni (1.3%), Co (0.2%), Cu (1.2%) and Mn (27%). At GSR, Kris has been responsible for the development of the offshore technology (notably, the Patania I and II program) and has so far, conducted 4 ultra-deep water technology trials at 4,500 m water depth. After the successful completion of GSR’s last technology trial in 2021, Kris’ focus has expanded to developing GSR’s processing strategy as GSR’s Business Development Manager.  Kris holds a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering - Naval Architecture at the University of Ghent (2010), complemented by a master’s degree in Organizational Management at the University of Antwerp (2011) and more recently, an Executive MBA at the Antwerp Management School (2023).

Kevin Fowkes

Kevin Fowkes has worked as an economist and consultant in the ferroalloy industry since 1998.

From 2007 to 2009, Kevin Fowkes was a business development manager in the metals division of Privat Group. Before that he was the senior market analyst for the Norwegian ferroalloy group Elkem, and a consultant for Hatch Beddows and CRU International.

Michael Li

Mr. Li Junji, Master of Mechanical Engineering from RMIT University in Australia, is a member of the IMnI and the representative of the EPD Chairman. Mr. Li Junji is currently the Vice President of South Manganese Group Limited and the Executive Director and Vice President of South Manganese Investment Limited, in charge of marketing, supply chain logistics and battery materials.

Dr Doreen McGough

Dr Doreen McGough has over 20 years' work experience in the industry, 14 of which have been spent dealing solely with Manganese. She was HSE Director of the International Manganese Institute (IMnI) from 2009-2017, where she had the responsibility of enhancing industry’s understanding of the toxicological/ecotoxicological profile of many Manganese-based substances and the corresponding risks and benefits associated with their use. As the Institute’s chief scientist, Dr McGough published over 10 peer-reviewed articles concerning Manganese. Alongside her work at the IMnI she worked for the Manganese REACH Administration (MARA) on lease as its main scientific advisor where she eventually became the Secretary General in 2017 to Present. As the Secretary General of MARA, Doreen manages and works with over 10 health/safety and regulations consulting firms worldwide made of some 20 renowned scientists. Their work mainly focuses on supporting the metal industry towards smooth regulatory compliances. An Anglo-Cameroonian, Dr McGough holds a BSc in biology, an MSc in environmental pollution control, and a doctorate in environmental toxicology from the University of Nottingham (UK) where she began her career as a lecturer.  

Pratik Mehta

Pratik Mehta is Head – Proprietary Investments at Bank Dhofar. Pratik is responsible for managing Bank Dhofar’s overall investments across asset classes – fixed income, public and private equities as well as mezzanine securities; within and outside Oman. With total experience of over 18 years, Pratik has worked as Buy-side investment professional across various organizations in Oman and India. Pratik holds Post Graduate Diploma in Management from Indian Institute of Modern Management, India and Bachelor in Business Administration from Gujarat University, India.

Steven Vercammen

Steven Vercammen is a senior expert in McKinsey & Company’s Belgium Office.  Since he joined in 2004, he has worked on steel and steel value chain related projects (carbon and stainless steel). Whilst early on focusing on operational improvement, market analysis (supply/demand) and technical benchmarking, in recent years Steven has specialized in sustainability topics related to the steel industry with a specific focus on circularity and secondary supply. As part of the global steel industry dynamics knowledge, Steven is the global expert on steel metallics dynamics covering scrap supply, demand and pricing evolution and decarbonization. In addition, Steven is global research leader for steel and metals in general, responsible for proprietary knowledge assets linked to cost curves, demand, supply, capital markets and overall market dynamics. Prior to joining McKinsey, Steven worked at the KU Leuven university as the “science engineering technology” group manager responsible for research strategy, educational programs and day to day management of all support functions. Steven has obtained a PhD in materials engineering (steel) from the KU Leuven and obtained engineering masters diploma from the university of Ghent in Belgium.

Arnaud Vigier

Arnaud Vigier is the Manganese ore sales Director of Eramet, the French multinational mining and Metallurgy Company. Arnaud joined Eramet in November 2011 and worked in various position in the marketing and sales of Manganese products. From 2019 to 2023, he was the Managing director of Eramet China. Prior to his experience with Eramet, he worked 6 years as system engineer and product manager in Japan and in the US, for the Horiba group, manufacturer of hi-tech optical instruments for measurement and analysis. Arnaud graduated from the engineering school of Physics of Grenoble and took a MBA from the HEC business school in Paris, after several years of work.

Nadia Vinck

Director EHS, Energy & Climate

Zhou Jian

Zhou Jian is a very experienced person in Mn industry. He has always been in Mn industry since he joined IMnI as Data Manager in 2003. After he returned from Paris to China in 2004, he has been working at Eramet Shanghai office as various roles (Market Research Manager, Mn Alloys Sales Director) for 10 years.  From 2014 to 2016, he worked for Vale to direct its Mn business in China, he was also chairman of IMnI China Stats Committee during that period. In 2016, he came back to work for IMnI as IMnI China Representative. Since 2018, he is the CEO of Shanghai Fengri International Trading Co., Ltd. and Chairman of IMnI China Committee.