The chief executive of Alumina Limited Mike Ferraro says when he got to law school at Melbourne University after growing up in the Victorian capital’s working class northern suburbs, he felt like a square peg in a round hole.
In those days, Ferraro says if you were good at school you studied either medicine or law and so Ferraro ended up at Melbourne University’s law school. He found a gang of four other boys from similar backgrounds who became lifelong friends and all went on to have stellar careers. Buddies and fellow Melbourne University law graduates: Dan Brealey, Mike Ferraro, Juan Martinez, Emilios Kyrou and Joseph Tsalanidis.After a stint at BHP, Ferraro went back to Freehills, and while he was still at the law firm he joined the board of Alumina in 2014. That ultimatelylead to him becoming the CEO in mid-2017 – although his mum still asks why he doesn’t open a legal office in Sydney Road like the other success stories she sees.
Australia is the world’s biggest bauxite producer which is both exported abroad and refined domestically to make alumina. Ferraro says while government subsidies for the Portland smelter have ended, the plant plays an important role in the nation’s energy supply by reducing its energy use during peak periods.
The AWAC joint venture was renegotiated and Alumina’s veto and approval rights increased materially, so that Alcoa was no longer able to largely ignore its Australian partner.
Great story - well done!