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worldsteel Announces new Director General

04/20/2011 - The worldsteel Board of Directors has formally approved the appointment of Edwin Basson as Director General of the World Steel Association, effective from August 2011.

The worldsteel Board of Directors has formally approved the appointment of Edwin Basson as Director General of the World Steel Association, effective from August 2011. He will replace Ian Christmas, who has represented the association for the past 12 years as Director General.
 
Basson (51) joined the steel industry in 1994 and has held various positions at world-leading steel companies, including Chief Economist at Iscor Ltd, where he later managed coated products and flat steel products, before moving on to Strategic Initiatives. At the former Mittal Steel (now ArcelorMittal) he was responsible for Marketing Strategy and Commercial Research & Market Segmentation (2004 to 2006) before joining worldsteel where he held the position of Vice President, Commercial Co-ordination, Marketing and Trade Policy.
 
“I am delighted to welcome Edwin on behalf of the Board of Directors of worldsteel,” said worldsteel Chairman Hajime Bada. “He has excellent knowledge of the steel industry and of the strategic issues facing us globally. He is already well known to us all from his involvement as a former Chairman of the worldsteel Economics Committee and as ArcelorMittal’s representative on the Living Steel Consortium”.
 
Director General Ian Christmas said, “I am very pleased that Edwin Basson is going to lead worldsteel and represent the global steel industry. I am very confident that not only will worldsteel be in very safe hands but it will continue to grow in value and relevance for its members all around the world”. Ian Christmas is scheduled to retire in August this year.
 
“I am honored to have been invited to accept this role,” said Director General Designate Edwin Basson. “Steel touches every aspect of people’s lives and as such is one of today’s most fundamental industrial sectors. Sustainable development in the next half century will be impossible without steel. I am excited about joining and contributing to the strong team at worldsteel.”
 
The World Steel Association (worldsteel) is one of the largest and most dynamic industry associations in the world. worldsteel represents approximately 170 steel producers (including 19 of the world's 20 largest steel companies), national and regional steel industry associations, and steel research institutes. worldsteel members produce around 85% of the world's steel.