“Aluminium has become the metal of choice for sunrise sectors,” John Slaven, CEO, Vedanta Aluminium

John Slaven is the Chief Executive Officer of Vedanta Aluminium, India's largest producer of aluminium and among the top producers globally. He is a reputed leader in the industry with over three decades of rich experience in the metals, mining and modern manufacturing industries. Through diverse positions in industry-leading companies within these sectors, John has helped shape the overall domain in transformative ways. He previously held key leadership positions at Alcoa, BHP, and The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in roles across the industry value chain from exploration, development, operations, strategy, finance, and sales & marketing.  Over the years, he has lived and worked in countries across the globe, including South Africa, the USA, China, Singapore, the Netherlands, Australia, and India, to name a few.

John holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Cape Town and a Master's in Business Administration from Harvard Business School.

As CEO of Vedanta Aluminium, John is leading efforts to unlock the full potential of the company's world-class assets, expanding production to 3 MTPA of integrated volume to rank among the top 3 aluminium companies globally. As part of this effort, he is responsible for guiding Vedanta Aluminium's overall strategy to expedite business growth, prioritizing ESG efforts, and championing sustainable practices such as 'green' aluminium production. Under his leadership, Vedanta Aluminium has emerged as the most sustainable aluminium company in the world, as per the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2023.

AL Circle: How do you envision the future of the aluminium industry over the next decade?