Brazilian mining giant Vale SA has appointed Edwin Gerard as chief executive officer (CEO) of its Malaysian subsidiary, Vale Malaysia Minerals Sdn Bhd.
In a statement, Vale said Gerard brings more than 25 years of international experience in large-scale port operations, logistics and infrastructure management. Throughout his career, he has held senior leadership positions in Oman, Nigeria, Egypt, Türkiye and Malaysia.
His most recent role was chief operating officer of Johor Port Bhd. Vale noted that Gerard is the first Malaysian to be appointed to lead its Malaysian operations, reflecting the company’s continued commitment to developing local talent in the countries where it operates.
As CEO, Gerard will oversee one of Vale’s most important hubs in Asia, which distributes around 20 million tonnes of iron ore annually. He will also lead efforts to strengthen the company’s focus on safe, reliable and sustainable operations.
Vale’s Malaysian presence includes the Teluk Rubiah Maritime Terminal in Perak, one of the state’s largest foreign direct investments, as well as its Asia Pacific corporate office in Kuala Lumpur. More than 95% of the company’s workforce in Malaysia consists of local employees.
Gerard succeeds Leonardo Paiva, who played a key role in reinforcing Vale’s long-term and sustainable presence in Malaysia. Under Paiva’s leadership, Vale launched several community-focused social investment programmes in Perak, including urban rejuvenation projects in Manjung, revitalisation efforts in Beruas and Manjung Lama, and the Teluk Rubiah Scholarship Programme aimed at nurturing local talent.
Since beginning operations in Teluk Rubiah in 2014, Vale said it has invested about RM80 million in social initiatives covering education, women empowerment and environmental conservation.
