PEOPLE WATCH
LIBERTY Steel Group makes high-level appointments
LIBERTY Steel Group , part of Sanjeev Gupta ’ s sustainable industry leader GFG Alliance , has strengthened its Board with the appointment of Denise Timns as an executive director and Monica Middleton as a non-executive director . This continues LIBERTY ’ s efforts to broaden the expertise of its senior management team as it continues its strong growth worldwide .
Denise Timns is the Chief Human Resources Officer for GFG Alliance , having joined the group in March 2016 . She has over 20 years of experience in specialist and generalist HR roles , having been in senior HR positions within the commodity trading sector .
Monica Middleton has 30 years ’ experience across a diverse range of blue chip companies and SMEs , helping to deliver impactful business , marketing and communications strategies . Her most recent executive position was UK managing director for Dutch international ESG investor , Oikocredit . Alongside LIBERTY Steel , she is currently a nonexecutive director for Cafédirect plc ( also
Chair of their Guardian Share Company and its Remuneration & Nominations Committee ) the Ethical Property Company plc ( also Chair of its Property Investment Committee ); and UK Women in Social Finance .
LIBERTY Steel Group has also strengthened its European management team with the appointment of Renaud Moretti as CEO LIBERTY Downstream Synergies and Colin McGibbon as CEO LIBERTY France . They will both report to Roland Junck , LIBERTY Steel ’ s President for the UK & Europe .
Renaud Moretti will be responsible for the overall management of the company ’ s downstream steel mills in Europe , which include the LIBERTY Magona plant in Italy and LIBERTY Liège-Dudelange ’ s three plants in Belgium and Luxemburg . He will join LIBERTY in April 2020 .
Colin McGibbon will be responsible for the overall management of the company ’ s French GREENSTEEL businesses , LIBERTY Ascoval and LIBERTY Rail Hayange . He joined LIBERTY on 1 February 2021 . n
Above , top to bottom : Monica Middleton , Denise Timns , Renaud Moretti and Colin McGibbon .
New CEO for Esmark Steel Group
Esmark Steel Group , a subsidiary of Esmark , Inc ., appointed Roberto M . Alvarez as chief executive officer from 1 January 2021 .
“ Roberto has been a key part of the Esmark enterprise for many years , serving as executive vice president and as a member of the Board of Directors ,” said Jim Bouchard , Chairman , Esmark , Inc . “ We believe that Roberto ’ s years of experience , not only with Esmark but also within the broader steel industry , position him as a strong leader as he steps into this next role as chief executive officer of Esmark Steel Group .”
Esmark Steel Group , a wholly owned subsidiary of Esmark , Inc ., is one of the United States ’ leading processors and distributors of value-added flat-rolled steel and the third-largest U . S . producer of tin plate steel . See
www . esmarksteelgroup . com n
SME plaudit for robot safety expert
Roberta Nelson Shea , Universal Robots ’ global technical compliance officer , is being celebrated by SME , the professional association committed to advancing manufacturing . SME is recognizing 20 successful female leaders working to broaden the use of robotics and automation in the smart manufacturing market globally . Nelson Shea made the list based on a lifelong career furthering the belief that productivity and robotics safety can be combined .
Nelson Shea was the first woman to serve on the Board of Directors of Robotic Industries Association ( RIA ) where she also participates in mentoring diversity efforts to get women more involved and recognized .
Roberta Nelson Shea Universal Robots ’ global technical compliance officer .
“ From an engineering and management standpoint , women were and continue to be in the minority in the robotics industry . Fortunately , we are starting to see this slowly changing ,” she said . “ Since joining UR , I see more female engineers in software development , coding and user interface than I saw before .”
Nelson Shea chaired the U . S . National Robot
Safety Committee for 23 years , spent 40 + years within manufacturing automation and is recognized as a global authority on robotic safety standards – most recently as Convenor of the ISO working group for industrial robotic safety ( ISO / TC 299 WG3 ). The emergence of robots that work alongside human workers ( cobots ) and their importance in advanced manufacturing has brought robotics safety into the spotlight , she
said .
“ I ’ m deeply honoured to receive this recognition from SME . When you have humans and robots working within the same space instead of separated – as was the case with traditional industrial robot applications – safety becomes much more complex and the nuances are very different . Safety now might mean that the robot slows or changes position compared to simply stopping . My overall mission is to demystify robotic safety and make sure the deployment barriers are broken down . I am an advocate of the global harmonisation of safety requirements to reduce costs of designs , manufacturing and compliance ,” explained Nelson Shea .
Nelson Shea was previously honoured by the American Society of Safety Professionals as being one of the top 100 Women in Safety over the past 100 years . n
10 | sheetmetalplus . com | ISMR March 2021