Lynas CEO Amanda Lacaze to Step Down After 12-Year Turnaround
Lynas said CEO Amanda Lacaze will leave at end-June after building the rare earths miner into a $10 billion company.
This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (LYSDY) said Chief Executive Officer Amanda Lacaze will step down at the end of June, closing a 12-year period in which she helped build the company into one of the most significant challengers to China's dominance in rare earths. The miner, now valued at around $10 billion, has played a central role in efforts by Japan and other countries to reduce reliance on Chinese supply, at a time when critical minerals have become increasingly entangled with geopolitical and trade considerations. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 3 Warning Signs with LYSDY.
Is LYSDY fairly valued? Test your thesis with our free DCF calculator. The leadership change comes as Lynas shares rose as much as 4.1%, tracking broader gains across rare-earth producers following a Group of Seven meeting on Monday focused on addressing vulnerabilities in critical mineral supply chains. China has previously used its dominance in rare-earth processing as leverage in trade discussions with the US and in negotiations with other countries, a backdrop that continues to shape investor interest in producers operating outside Beijing's orbit. Lacaze, one of a small number of female chief executives in the mining industry, took over Lynas when it was close to collapse in 2014 and oversaw a significant turnaround.
During her tenure, the company's market value increased from about A$400 million to close to A$15 billion, according to Chairman John Humphrey. Lynas now operates mines in Australia and processing facilities in Malaysia, where it began producing heavy rare earths last year and is expanding capacity to meet demand from applications such as electric vehicle motors, wind turbines, drones, and consumer electronics.