On June 5, 2018, RHI Magnesita announced that Octavio Pereira Lopes, its CFO and Executive Director, had announced the Board of his intention to leave the company by the end of 2018 and return to Brazil. The company also announced that a broad search process to appoint his successor was being put into effect. RHI Magnesita announced that Ian Botha, currently CFO of Anglo American Platinum, has been nominated as its new CFO and Finance Director for appointment in the 2019 Annual General Meeting.

Ian will join company on 1 April 2019. Octavio Lopes, will until his departure, focus on delivering the final steps of the merger between RHI and Magnesita. In the period until Ian Botha commences with the Company, Eduardo Gotilla, the VP of Corporate Finance and Investor Relations will with immediate effect assume the role of acting CFO of RHI Magnesita.

As the former CFO of Magnesita he has played a pivotal role in the integration of the finance organisation into RHI Magnesita, and also successfully led the refinancing of the Company. He will continue to deliver the CFO agenda.