SPEAKER

BIOGRAPHIES

LOURENCO GONCALVES

Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer
Cleveland-Cliffs

Lourenco Goncalves has been chairman, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Cleveland-Cliffs since August 2014. He designed and led the company through a major strategic initiative transforming Cleveland-Cliffs into a leading player in the U.S. steel industry, starting with a complete financial turnaround, followed by growth initiatives in the metallics market, and the entry into the steel and prime ferrous scrap businesses. In 2017, Cliffs started construction in Toledo, Ohio, of the world’s most modern direct reduction plant, which started operations in November 2020. Goncalves successfully led four major company acquisitions beginning with AK Steel in March 2020, followed by the acquisition of ArcelorMittal USA in December 2020, Ferrous Processing and Trading Co. in November 2021, and most recently Canadian-based Stelco Holdings Inc. in November 2024. With the Toledo plant, Cleveland-Cliffs is the sole producer in the Great Lakes region of hot briquetted iron (HBI), an environmentally friendly metallic feedstock designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

Prior to Cleveland-Cliffs, Goncalves served as chairman of the board, president and CEO of Metals USA Holdings Corp., a leading American manufacturer and processor of steel and other metals, for over 10 years. Prior to Metals USA, Goncalves served as president and CEO of California Steel Industries Inc. for 5 years. Prior to that, he was employed by Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN), a major steel and mining company in Brazil, where he held several positions in operations and sales. From October 2011 to April 2014, Goncalves was a board member of Ascometal SAS, a manufacturer of special steel headquartered in Paris, France. 

Goncalves serves on the board and is chairman of the American Iron and Steel Institute. Goncalves is a Distinguished Member and Fellow of AIST. He received AIST's Steelmaker of the Year Award in 2021. Also in 2021, S&P Global Platts presented Goncalves with the CEO/Chairperson of the Year Global Metals Award, which honors a leader who is highly respected by both peers and competitors, admired and followed by employees, trusted by investors and welcomed by the community. Under Goncalves’ leadership, Cleveland-Cliffs was awarded by S&P Global Platts the top Global Metals Award as the 2021 Metals Company of the Year and the 2021 Deal of the Year Global Metals Award. Goncalves was also presented with the 2021 Steel Advocate of the Year Award, from Fastmarkets. In 2022, Goncalves was presented with the Willy Korf/Ken Iverson Steel Vision Award, which honors individuals who have made significant contributions to the steel industry while promoting goodwill and integrity.

MÁXIMO VEDOYA

Chief Executive Officer
Ternium

Máximo Vedoya is the chief executive officer (CEO) of Ternium, one of the leading steel companies in the Americas. Ternium is a publicly traded company with its shares listed on the New York Stock Exchange. In 2025, Ternium reported annual revenues of US$15.6 billion and employed 33,000 people. In 2025, Máximo was named AIST Steelmaker of the Year. He is also president of the Latin American Steel Association (Alacero); vice president of the Mexican Iron & Steel Industry Chamber (Canacero); president of the SME Commission of the Mexican Business Coordinating Council; and member of the executive council and president of the Engineering Committee at the University of Monterrey. His prior roles included serving as chairman of the Economics Committee at the World Steel Association, as president of the Industry and Transformation Chamber (Caintra) of Nuevo León, México, and as president of Canacero. Born in Argentina, he graduated as an industrial engineer from the Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires and holds an M.S. degree in management from Stanford University. Since 1992, Vedoya’s key positions have included planning, sales, exports and commercial director in Ternium companies in Argentina and Venezuela. In 2010, he was appointed executive president of the Andean Region (Colombia), in 2012, executive president of Ternium Mexico, and on 1 March 2018, he was appointed CEO of Ternium. 

NAVEEN JINDAL

Chairman
Jindal Steel

A well-known Indian industrialist and philanthropist, Naveen Jindal is the chairman of Jindal Steel, one of India’s leading industrial conglomerates in the steel, mining and infrastructure sectors. His vision is driven by the core principle of nation building wherein each of Jindal Steel’s businesses is focused toward building world-class capabilities to make India self-reliant and a global economic powerhouse. Jindal Steel also has operations in Africa.  

He is a member of Parliament, serving his third term and is committed to championing societal causes, effecting transformative changes in countless lives. Jindal is the president of the Flag Foundation of India. He is the founding chancellor of O. P. Jindal Global University, ranked as the number-one private university in India as per the QS World University Rankings. He also serves as the president of the Indian Steel Association (ISA), the apex body of the domestic steel industry that works collectively to grow the sector. In recognition of his accomplishments in industry, politics and education, he was conferred with the lifetime achievement award by the University of Texas at Dallas in 2023.  

His strategic acumen also earned him recognition as one of India’s Most Powerful CEOs by The Economic Times-Corporate Dossier (2011), the prestigious Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award (2010) and one of Fortune India’s Best CEO (2024).

ANDRЀ BIER GERDAU JOHANNPETER

Chairman of the Board of Directors 
Gerdau

André Bier Gerdau Johannpeter has 40 years of experience at Gerdau and held the position of chief executive officer (CEO) from 2007 to 2017. He was president of the World Steel Association in 2018–2019. Currently he serves as chairman of the board of directors of Gerdau SA, and member of its advisory committees; chairman of the board of directors and Metalúrgica Gerdau SA; board member of the executive committee of the World Steel Association; board member of directors of Instituto Aço Brasil (Brazilian Steel Institute); board member of Alacero (Latin American Steel Association); vice chairman of the Federation of Industries of São Paulo – FIESP; vice chairman of the Federation of Industries of Rio Grande do Sul – FIERGS; and board member of Transforma RS.

Johannpeter holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul. In addition, he has studied general business administration at the University of Toronto, marketing at the Ashridge Business School, and advanced management at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. 

GUILHERME CHAGAS GERDAU JOHANNPETER

Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors 
Gerdau

Guilherme Chagas Gerdau Johannpeter earned a bachelor’s degree in law from Unisinos in 1995 and an M.B.A. in marketing and finance from the Kellogg School of Management. He has worked at Gerdau for over 37 years. He served as a vice president of the Gerdau Executive Committee, coordinating the Special Steel Business Operation, the Latin American Business Operation, and the actions arising from the Gerdau 2022 Project – Strategy (2014-2017). He was the vice chairman of the board of directors of Gerdau S.A. and of Metalúrgica Gerdau S.A. from 2018 to 2020. He was the chairman of the board of directors of Gerdau S.A. and of Metalúrgica Gerdau S.A. from 2020 to 2025. He is currently the vice chairman of the board of directors of Gerdau S.A. and a member of its advisory committees; the vice chairman of the board of directors of Metalúrgica Gerdau S.A.; a board member of Gerdau Previdência; (iv) a board member of the Instituto Gerdau; (v) a board member of the Institute for Studies in Industrial Development; and (vi) a member of the Global Advisory Board of Kellogg Northwestern.

STEFAN RAUBER

Chairman of the Management Board
SHS - Stahl-Holding-Saar GmbH & Co. KGaA

Stefan Rauber has been managing SHS - Stahl-Holding-Saar GmbH & Co. KGaA, Aktien-Gesellschaft der Dillinger Hüttenwerke and Saarstahl Aktiengesellschaft since July 2023. After holding positions of responsibility in the Saarland state parliament and in the Saarland Ministry of Economics, Labour, Energy and Transport, he moved to the Montan-Stiftung-Saar in 2019. In his current position, Rauber's goal is to successfully guide the companies through the transformation to the production of green steel. 

MARIO ARVEDI CALDONAZZO

Chief Executive Officer
Gruppo Arvedi

Mario Arvedi Caldonazzo graduated in 1991 in business and economics. Before entering the steelmaking business of his uncle, Giovanni Arvedi, he gained experience working for leading European traders and manufacturers.  His work experience with the Arvedi Group began by reinforcing his production and marketing experience in the tube sector as chief executive officer (CEO) of Arvedi Tubi Acciaio, a carbon steel tube manufacturer with a leading and consolidated position on the European market. From tube to steel: In 2019, he was appointed CEO of Acciaieria Arvedi SpA, the group’s leading manufacturing unit for the production of steel from scrap using the innovative ISP and ESP Arvedi endless cast-rolling technology for quality carbon steel coil production. He was closely involved in the company’s strategic development plans, seeing Acciaieria Arvedi’s production triple in the course of 10 years following start-up. It is currently Italy’s first flat-rolled carbon steel manufacturer with a production capacity of 4 million metric tons per year. In 2006, he was appointed CEO of Finarvedi SpA, the holding company of the Arvedi Group, which operates in areas including carbon and stainless steel tube manufacturing, stainless steel precision rolling and steel service and distribution centers and in 2021 President of Acciaieria Arvedi and Arvedi Tubi Acciaio in 2021. In 2022, following its acquisition by the Arvedi Group, he was appointed vice president of Acciai Speciali Terni, a leading European producer of flat-rolled stainless steel. He is vice president of Federacciai and Eurofer. 

MARK D. MILLETT

Co-founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer
Steel Dynamics Inc.

Mark D. Millett co-founded Steel Dynamics in 1993 and has been instrumental in building the company from its inception to its current status as one of the largest steel producers and metals recyclers in North America. Millett has served as the board chair since May 2021 and has been the chief executive officer since January 2012. Since that time, the company has grown significantly through transactional investments, including the transformational acquisition of the Columbus Flat Roll Steel Division, and the acquisition of the Heartland Flat Roll Steel Division. Under his leadership, the company has continued its extensive organic growth strategy through the construction and ramp-up of its Southwest-Sinton Flat Roll Steel Division and through the expansion of its product offerings into the aluminum flat rolled market with the construction of a 650,000-metric-ton lower-carbon, recycled aluminum flat rolled mill, with two supporting satellite recycled aluminum slab centers. 

Millett was responsible for the design, construction, and start-up operation of all Steel Dynamics steel mills, including the company’s first flat roll, melting, and casting operations in Butler, Ind. Prior to cofounding Steel Dynamics, Millett was integral in leading the design, construction, and operation of the melting and casting area at the world’s first electric arc furnace (EAF) thin-slab flat roll steel mill.  

Millett is a past chairman of the Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA). In 2019, he was the recipient of the James F. Collins Achievement in Advocacy Award by the SMA. In 2014 and 2022, he was named AIST Steelmaker of the Year. In 2024, he received the Willy Korf/Ken Iverson Steel Vision Award in recognition of the significant contributions he has made to the steel industry while promoting goodwill and integrity.

DAVID BURRITT

President and Chief Executive Officer
United States Steel Corporation

David B. Burritt was appointed president and chief executive officer of United States Steel Corporation in May 2017. At that time, Burritt was also named to the company’s board of directors. He had been elected president and chief operating officer in February 2017 with executive responsibility for all aspects of the company’s day-to-day business in the United States and Central Europe. 

Burritt joined U. S. Steel in September 2013 to serve as executive vice president and chief financial officer with responsibility for all aspects of the company’s strategic and financial matters. 

Prior to joining U. S. Steel, Burritt served as chief financial officer at Caterpillar Inc.  

Burritt was born in St. Louis, Mo., USA. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1977 from Bradley University in Peoria. Burritt received an M.B.A. from the University of Illinois in Champaign in 1990.  

Burritt serves on the board of directors for Lockheed Martin and the National Safety Council and serves on the executive committee of worldsteel. He is also a member of The Business Council and a member of the G100.  

ABEY ABRAHAM

Managing Principal
Ducker Carlisle

RON ASHBURN

Executive Director
AIST

Ronald Ashburn is the executive director of the Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST), having served in this capacity since the organization’s founding in 2004. Ashburn is responsible for oversight of business operations and strategic planning initiatives for AIST and the AIST Foundation. He formerly was the managing director for the Association of Iron and Steel Engineers (AISE) from 2002 until its merger with the Iron & Steel Society to form AIST. Prior to AISE, he was employed with the German engineering firm SMS, a global builder of steel plants, where he last served as vice president — operations for their Steelmaking and Casting Division in North America. He held previous positions with SMS and the consolidated Mannesmann Demag including vice president — casting and hot rolling as well as director of technology for steelmaking and casting. Ashburn received his B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and participated in metallurgical process training at the University of British Columbia and global business management training at the University of Virginia. He serves on the board of trustees for the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers (AIME) and the United Engineering Foundation (UEF). 

EDWIN BASSON

Director General
World Steel Dynamics

Edwin Basson received his Ph.D. in economics from Pretoria University and taught economics at the same university. After a few years in the banking industry, he joined the steel industry in 1994 at Iscor Ltd. in South Africa. After a variety of senior roles in South Africa, he was transferred to Europe in 2004. His responsibilities included global marketing strategy, trade policy and investment planning for the group. He was also part of the mergers and acquisitions team at the time. Basson joined the World Steel Association (worldsteel) in 2011 as director general. worldsteel is tasked with playing a strategic leadership role on behalf of the steel industry, with a focus on all aspects that contribute to the strategic and competitive production and use of steel in a sustainable global economy.

BERK BIRAND

Chief Executive Officer
Fero Labs

Berk Birand is the co-founder and chief executive officer of industrial optimization company Fero Labs, where he leads the company’s strategic business and technology growth. Birand co-founded Fero Labs to help create a profitable and sustainable manufacturing industry. He received his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Columbia University and now has several patents in Internet of Things systems for resilient fiber-optic networks. 

JULIAN CEJKA
Willy Korf Young Excellence Award Winner 

Senior Scientist
Montanuniversitaet Leoben

Julian Cejka is senior scientist at Montanuniversität Leoben, where he received his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in metallurgy. He served as a scientific employee, Ph.D. candidate and then postdoctoral researcher at the Christian Doppler Laboratory for Inclusion Metallurgy in Advanced Steelmaking at Montanuniversität Leoben. He has been a reviewer for the Journal of Iron and Steel Research International, Iron & Steelmaking, and Steel Research International. Cejka completed a research stay at the Steel Institute of RWTH Aachen University in 2025.  

UĞUR DALBELER

General Manager 
Çolakoğlu Metalurji

Uğur Dalbeler received a B.S. degree in material science and metallurgy from Middle East Technical University in 1986. He began working at Çolakoğlu Metalurji as sales engineer in 1986 and served as sales manager in between 1988 and 1998. He was trade and finance coordinator from 1998 until 2005, and has served as chief executive officer since 2005. He is a board member of the Turkish Steel Producers Association and chairman of the Turkish Steel Exporters Association. Dalbeler served as chairman of the International Rebar Producers and Exporters Association (Irepas) from 2003 until 2013. He has served as EXCO member of the World Steel Association (WSA) since 2020 and chair of the WSA for 2026. 

JOSEPH DZIERZAWSKI

Vice President of Sales and Strategy
Primetals Technologies USA LLC

Joseph Dzierzawski, Vice President of Sales and Strategy, Primetals Technologies USA LLC Joseph Dzierzawski began his current role as vice president of sales and strategy at Primetals Technologies USA in 2023. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan, with a degree in metallurgical engineering, and attended executive management programs at the University of Michigan School of Business and INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France. In 1988, Dzierzawski began his career as a melter at McLouth Steel, an integrated basic oxygen furnace and electric arc furnace steelmaking operation. In 1990, he moved to SMS Concast as a senior metallurgical engineer and held several positions, including vice president of Steelmaking & Continuous Casting at SMS Siemag LLC; director of sales for Steelmaking & Continuous Casting at SMS Siemag AG in Düsseldorf, Germany; president and chief executive officer for SMS USA; and chief technology officer for SMS group Inc. In 2019, he joined Hatch Associates Consultants in the capacity of global director — Technology & Business Development responsible for corporate growth in the iron and steel sector. Most recently, Dzierzawski served as president and chief executive officer of the BEUMER Group, an international leader in the manufacturing of intralogistics systems for conveying, loading, palletizing, sortation, and baggage handling, fully responsible for all business segments in the North American market in alignment with the group’s overall business objectives, strategy, and key pursuits.

PHILIPP ENGLIN

Chief Executive Officer
World Steel Dynamics

Philipp Englin joined World Steel Dynamics in 2008 after a career spanning roles in engineering and corporate strategy functions. He worked closely with WSD’s founders as chief executive officer for over a decade, before taking over WSD’s day-to-day operations. Along with WSD’s highly capable team of senior practitioners and analysts, he authors WSD’s breakthrough Information Service reports while leading efforts across the full range of WSD products and services from WSD's consulting/advisory practice to its premier industry conferences. Englin holds bachelor's degrees in mechanical engineering and philosophy from Carnegie Mellon University and an M.B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh. 

Navit Gill

Vice President – Automation 
YOGIJI DIGI 

Navit Gill holds a B.S. degree in electrical engineering technology from Rochester Institute of Technology and an M.S. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. Passionate about software, automation, and AI technologies, Gill focuses on developing intelligent solutions to optimize manufacturing processes and drive digital transformation in the steel industry. 

GEOFF GILMORE

President and Chief Executive Officer
Worthington Steel

THOMAS KIRK
Chief Executive Officer and Founder
ScrapChef

ASTRID KORF-WOLMAN
Board Chair

Astrid Korf-Wolman grew up in Baden-Baden, Germany. She studied architecture at the Technical University of Berlin and graduated with a degree in engineering. After her father’s death in 1990, she moved to London and took over responsibility for the family business, Korf Steel. At the same time, she also worked for IMG, managing their German golf course projects. She earned a degree in graphology at the British Academy of Graphology in London in 2003, and now works as a consultant, analyzing handwriting for recruitment purposes. After the sale of KORF STEEL in 2000, she set up the Willy Korf Foundation.

JANICE LEE

Managing Director and Partner
Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

Janice Lee is a managing director and partner with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and is the global leader for their metals practice. She has extensive experience working with steel and metals companies across growth strategy, M&A, and large-scale transformations. She also leads the sustainability and circularity topic within industrial goods, supporting companies on furthering their sustainability and decarbonization agendas, and has led BCG’s IP development in scrap and recycling. She has an M.B.A from MIT Sloan School of Management, and a B.A. degree in economics from the University of Chicago. 

EDWARD LEHNER

Chief Executive Officer 
Ryerson

Edward J. Lehner is chief executive officer (CEO) and a member of the board of directors of Ryerson Holding Corp., a global industrial metals supplier and processor with operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico and China. He began serving as Ryerson's CEO in June 2015 after having served as Ryerson's executive vice president and chief financial officer from July 2012 through May 2015. Prior to joining Ryerson, Lehner served as the chief financial officer of PSC Metals Inc., a diversified metals company, and before that, as the chief financial officer of SeverCorr LLC, a primary steel manufacturing company headquartered in the southern United States. His career also includes senior general management, operational, financial, accounting, tax and consulting roles for Nucor, Birmingham Steel Inc., Laurel Steel and Deloitte & Touche. He has served as board chairman of the Metals Service Center Institute and is currently on the board of directors of the American Iron and Steel Institute.

JOHN LICHTENSTEIN

Managing Partner
World Steel Dynamics

John Lichtenstein is managing partner at World Steel Dynamics. He brings more than 35 years of experience as an industry thought leader and global consulting practice leader at Accenture, Arthur D. Little and RCG Research and Consulting Group. Lichtenstein has had a long association with World Steel Dynamics. He has been a featured speaker at numerous Steel Success Strategies Conferences, where he addressed a wide range of topics including mergers and acquisitions, business transformation and technology, and organization and leadership. 

STEPHEN MONTAGUE

Member of the Board
Midrex

Stephen Montague started with Midrex Technologies as a co-op student in 1987 and is now a board member. Throughout the years, he has held roles encompassing technical and commercial functions such as engineering, operations, technology development and sales. He was appointed vice president – Sales and Marketing before assuming the role of president and chief operating officer in 2016 and subsequently being promoted to chief executive officer in 2017. He actively participated in the design and start-ups of numerous MIDREX® plants, contributed to the development of new technologies, and holds coinventor credits on several patents. Montague earned a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from North Carolina State University. 

LEE P. MORGAN

Chief Executive Officer and President
The Systems Group 

Lee Morgan is chief executive officer and president of The Systems Group, which consists of Systems Contracting, Systems Plant Services, Systems Fab & Machine, and Systems Spray-Cooled. He graduated from South Dakota State University with a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering. Before joining Systems, he was president of Camfil APC in Jonesboro, Ark., USA, where he oversaw five factories in five countries. Morgan has 11 patents centered around air pollution control systems. At Systems, his focus is bringing engineered solutions to the steel industry for a safer, more productive environment.

KARTHIKEYAN NATARAJAN

Chief Executive Officer
Infinite Uptime

Karthikeyan Natarajan, currently chief executive officer (CEO) at Infinite Uptime, is a seasoned business transformational leader with over 30 years of experience and led two organizations to become US$1 billion+ product engineering/digital engineering businesses over the last 25+ years. He has been in CXO roles including CEO, chief operating officer (COO), business unit head for public listed organizations headquartered in India, and he has been an executive board member for more than 4 years. He has been part of the NASSCOM Executive Council and ER&D chair for many years. 

He is a former CEO and executive director at Cyient, where he led the organization and transformed it as a global technology solutions powerhouse. During his tenure over the last 5 years, he integrated cloud, AI, data analytics and intelligent engineering to drive innovation, growing Cyient’s market cap many-fold and putting the company on path to a US$1 billion annual run rate business. Previously at Tech Mahindra, he built the integrated engineering services division into a billion-dollar business, closing over US$2 billion in strategic deals within 7 years. 

Throughout his 31-year career, he has driven growth through diverse business models like closing 10 M&As, one IPO, strategic subsidiary creation and a joint venture, many product/site carve-outs, IP-led deals, venture investments, etc., including Cyient DLM's IPO. 

He served as co-chair of the Engineering Services Forum at NASSCOM and as a member of the NASSCOM Executive Council. He is also part of NASSCOM’s Strategic Skills Council and is in VIT’s academic council. 

He holds a mechanical engineering degree from University of Madras, an M.B.A. from Symbiosis, and he completed executive programs at IMD, Yale, Ross School of Business, Harvard Business School, Singularity University and Egon Zehnder. He is also a certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt and Reliability Expert from GE. In addition, he has completed a certification program on Gen AI from Coursera. 

His deepest passion lies in connecting human potential with the best of tech potential. 

ROLANDO PAOLONE

Chief Executive Officer and Chief Technical Officer
Danieli & C. S.p.A.

Rolando Paolone graduated as a mechanical technician from A. Malignani Technical High School, Udine, Italy, in 1981. He has been employed at Danieli & C. since 1985, starting as a design engineer in the Long Product Hot Rolling Mills Division (Danieli Morgardshammar). He took on the title of design office team leader in 1989 before being promoted to design office manager of the Rolling Mills Finishing Area in 1994. In 2001, he was promoted to the position of technical director for the Hot Rolling Mill Division for Long Products. In 2006, he was in charge of the Process and Technological Department for the Long Products Division, of which he was appointed executive vice president in 2008. In 2014, he became Danieli Research Center executive vice president. In 2017, he was promoted to chief technical officer (CTO) of the Danieli Group and became a member of the group executive board. Promoted again in 2021, he became group chief executive officer while retaining the title of CTO. 

TIMOTHY VAN AUDENAERDE

Managing Director
Accenture

Timothy Van Audenaerde is a managing director at Accenture, where he serves as the global metals lead and the lead for the company’s resources industry practice in Belgium and Luxembourg. He started his career in the steel industry at ArcelorMittal in 2002, holding roles across various functional areas including quality, supply chain and commercial. Since joining Accenture in 2013, Audenaerde has primarily worked with leading metal manufacturers. He holds a degree in materials engineering from Ghent University and an M.B.A. from Vlerick Business School.