The highly experienced technical and investment team, has overseen 60+ mine builds and over US$200bn of mining sector transactions, and works in a close and collaborative manner with management teams to deliver optimal results

Paulo Castellari is CEO for Critical Minerals at Appian, responsible for leading the firm’s strategy and investment activities across the critical minerals sector.

Paulo has over 34 years of experience across the natural resources, industrial, energy and critical minerals sectors, with operational and leadership roles spanning South America, North America, Europe and Africa. His expertise encompasses corporate turnarounds, large-scale capital project delivery, operational start-ups, mergers and acquisitions, and stakeholder and government relations.

Paulo joined Appian in 2019 as CEO of Appian Capital Brazil, where he successfully restarted the only nickel sulphide operation in South America and completed the first-ever mining enterprise in the state of Alagoas — both delivered with world-class safety standards, the latter ahead of schedule and below budget during COVID-19. He also established a new integrated graphite venture from mine to customer, targeting 65,000 tonnes of mine capacity in Brazil with downstream processing in North America, and led the successful exits of the nickel and copper assets for a combined valuation of US$1 billion.

Prior to Appian, Paulo served as CEO for Guinea Alumina Corporation, the Guinean bauxite subsidiary of Emirates Global Aluminium, overseeing the completion of a US$1.4 billion greenfield bauxite project on time and within budget. Before that, as Deputy CEO and CFO of CEMIG — one of Brazil’s largest integrated power companies — he led a US$6 billion corporate divestment process and restructured more than US$5 billion in corporate debt.

Paulo spent over 20 years at Anglo American plc as a member of the Group Management Committee. As CEO of Iron Ore Brazil, he delivered the Minas-Rio Iron Ore Project — Anglo American’s largest ever capital project at over US$10 billion — achieving first shipment ahead of schedule with US$500 million in capital savings. He also served as CEO of Anglo American’s Phosphates and Niobium businesses in Brazil, and as Head of the Centre of Excellence for the Base Metals division in London, overseeing 12 operations across South America, Southern Africa and Europe.

Earlier in his career, Paulo worked at AngloGold Ashanti and Minorco in London, where he played a key role in the listing of Anglo American on the London Stock Exchange in 1999.

Paulo holds a BA in Business Administration from FGV-EAESP, an MBA from London Business School, and a Board Director Diploma from IMD Business School in Lausanne.