CDF Voice | Duncan Wanblad, Chief Executive of Anglo American

Hello everyone. My name is Duncan Wanblad, and I am the Chief Executive of Anglo American. It is a great pleasure to come back to China again and attend this year’s China Development Forum.

Anglo American is a leading global mining company focused on the responsible production of copper, premium iron ore and crop nutrients – all future-enabling products that are essential for decarbonising the global economy, improving living standards, and food security.

Our Purpose (or, the reason we exist as a Company), is to reimagine mining to improve people’s lives.

Our business, led by Our Purpose, is very much in harmony with China’s pursuit of high-quality development, driven by ongoing urbanisation, green development and digitalisation, which we believe creates great opportunities for the mining industry, and for our company.

The mining industry can and should play a leading role in building a sustainable economy through collaborative and inclusive partnerships. This helps unlock enduring value from precious natural resources to build, innovate, and transform the world for the benefit of current and future generations.

I am proud of Anglo American’s decades-long partnership with China, and our humble role in supporting China’s phenomenal growth story by providing reliable and high-quality raw materials for infrastructure and social development, as well as for decarbonisation and food security.

We are excited to deepen our partnerships with our valued customers and stakeholders in China, to support the Country achieving its growth and sustainability objectives. We know that metals and minerals such as copper and iron ore, as well as crop nutrients, are essential for advancing industrial transformation, energy transition and green development.

Anglo American has partnered with China to embark upon a comprehensive set of initiatives aimed at the decarbonisation of our business, including our maritime activities. We are proud of our successful partnership with the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Company, who built our fleet of ten liquified natural gas dual-fuelled bulk carriers, reducing our shipping emissions by roughly 35%.

Through our Crop Nutrients business, we have also established partnerships with Sinochem Fertilizer and BeiFeng to support the promotion and development of low carbon, soil friendly fertiliser products and practices that will increase crop yields, improve soil health, and create wealth for farmers.

Of course, beyond our operations and the partnerships we forge with customers, we also work to make a difference wherever we are. We are very proud to partner with the China Development Research Foundation on its children development programmes in rural regions.

As Anglo American’s relationship with China continues to grow, we are committed to playing an active role in shaping an exciting future, not only for our stakeholders and the industry, but for society at large.

I would like to congratulate the China Development Forum on its 25th anniversary this year. The CDF has gone from strength to strength since the first gathering in 2000. For us at Anglo American, it continues to provide unique opportunities to gain rare insight into policy formulation in China, and to engage directly with government officials, industry experts and academia on topical issues facing the global economy.

Our association with CDF over the last 20-plus years has certainly made doing business in China more successful. As our friendship and ties with CDF have grown, it has also enabled Anglo American to broaden and deepen our engagement with China.

We all wish our colleagues and friends at the CDF well as they continue to host this wonderful event.

Thank you.

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