NZAS CEO off to steel company

AUCKLAND: ASXlisted BlueScope Steel has poached New Zealand Aluminium Smelters chief Gretta Stephens to head its New Zealand and Pacific Island operations.

Ms Stephens would lead the Melbourne company’s mining, manufacturing and downstream businesses in New Zealand and the Lysaght brand manufacturing and distribution businesses in the Pacific Islands, BlueScope said in a statement.

She will begin in June and be based at subsidiary New Zealand Steel’s Glenbrook steelworks, south of Auckland.

Ms Stephens has been general manager and chief executive of New Zealand Aluminum Smelters since 2013, a joint venture between Rio Tinto’s Pacific Aluminium and Sumitomo Chemical Company. She ‘‘will continue to work at NZAS until June while the process is under way to select her successor,’’ NZAS said.

Last November, BlueScope announced it was splitting its Australian and New Zealand operations into two separate businesses ‘‘reflecting their individual importance to the company.’’

John Nowlan was appointed to head BlueScope’s Australian Steel Products from January 1.

The New Zealand Steel and Pacific Islands business comprises the Waikato North Head mine, the Glenbrook steelworks, the Pacific Steel rolling mill and the Pacific Islands businesses. — BusinessDesk