Ricardo Santoro

Currently serving as General Manager at Nexa Resources, leading a workforce of 2,000+ employees and contractors at the Cajamarquilla zinc smelter in Peru—the largest zinc smelter in the Americas and the fifth largest globally, generating approximately USD 1.3 billion in annual revenue. Focused on delivering consistent and sustainable value in a highly competitive global market by driving operational excellence and advancing initiatives that enhance safety, productivity, efficiency, and ESG performance. Achieved record production levels of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and cadmium (Cd) in 2025, further consolidating the asset’s competitive position globally

Led business development and C‑level client relationships, providing project sponsorship and leadership across multiple service lines, including Transaction Support Services (Due Diligence and Independent Reviews), Strategy, Business Improvement, Asset Management, and Organizational Effectiveness. Advised leading clients across mining, metals, energy, and infrastructure, including Vale (iron ore and copper), Mitsui (trading), Minsur (zinc and tin), Nexa (zinc), Ero Copper (copper), Orion Resources (REE), Equinox (gold), and Atvos (ethanol and sugar). Served as Support Transactions Leader for South America, leading multi‑billion‑dollar technical and socio‑environmental due diligences across complex infrastructure assets such as mines, plants, ports, and railways.

Led Strategic Planning, Budgeting, and Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) for the Brazil region, encompassing four underground mines and processing plants, supporting executive decision‑making and long‑term value creation. Directed M&A initiatives on both buy‑side and sell‑side, as well as strategic business development projects across the mining and energy sectors. Established and led a Business Performance Office, governing strategic initiatives and value capture, and managed Executive Committee agendas, supporting executive decision‑making with strategic materials and performance reviews. Oversaw Operational Excellence and Enterprise Risk Management, strengthening governance, performance management, and risk mitigation across the organization.

Led M&A and new business initiatives, including buy‑side, sell‑side, and joint ventures, across multiple strategic priorities. Key initiatives included - Divestiture of nickel refinery and ferronickel assets, optimizing portfolio focus and capital allocation - Acquisition of a rolled aluminum facility, including development and execution of the Post‑Merger Integration (PMI) plan - Structuring and development of a multi‑billion‑dollar joint venture for a greenfield bauxite project - Business case development to expand participation in the recycling market, including assessment of potential M&A target Led corporate long‑term strategic planning, annual budgeting, and investment analysis to support modernization and growth initiatives. Delivered market intelligence and strategic insights, including industry fundamentals, scenario planning, competitive landscape analysis, and price forecasting, to support executive‑level strategic planning and decision‑making.

Led business development across multiple industrial sectors, including cement, concrete, steel, metallurgy, ferroalloys, limestone, fertilizers, pulp & paper, and chemicals, with focus on waste valorization and circular economy solutions. Engaged with company owners and senior executives to identify strategic opportunities, including by‑product utilization, industrial symbiosis initiatives, and circular business models, and to negotiate commercial agreements covering volumes, pricing, and long‑term partnerships.

Reported to the Global SVP of Strategy with a mandate to increase value creation through strategic supply initiatives, leading a broad agenda across market intelligence, performance management, Opex & Capex optimization, and new markets development. Directed prospecting and buy/sell contract negotiations for clinker substitutes, engaging with steelmakers, ferroalloy producers, thermal power, mining, and cement industries. Worked closely with cement plants to increase the technical and operational adoption of clinker substitutes, aligning supply strategies with plant performance, quality requirements, decarbonization objectives, and cost optimization. Managed high‑value, long‑term contracts totaling hundreds of millions of dollars, with durations of up to 20 years, and oversaw strategic supply transactions with material EBITDA impact. Developed and secured approval of a long‑term strategy to deliver substantial incremental net present value (NPV).

Full P&L responsibility for the Business Unit (BU), overseeing sales, marketing, operations, and execution of growth initiatives. Led nationwide operations serving 3,500+ B2B and B2C customers, including distributors, retailers, cooperatives, farms, and industrial plants. Defined and executed the BU strategy, covering competitive positioning, market segmentation, distribution models, product and service portfolio, pricing, logistics, and growth opportunities. Implemented a new business strategy that expanded the customer base, strengthened brand positioning, and increased margins, achieving market leadership in 2015. Developed and secured approval of a long‑term strategy to deliver substantial incremental net present value (NPV).

Oversaw corporate strategic planning, FP&A, and operational excellence, covering operations across Brazil, Peru, the United States, and China, encompassing mines, smelters, and recycling facilities. Led the development and consolidation of long‑term strategic plans, as well as annual budgets and forecasts, supporting executive decision‑making and capital allocation. Conducted in‑depth analysis of the competitive landscape, including global supply‑demand dynamics, key industry players, macroeconomic scenarios, pricing trends, and capital investment strategies (expansions and operational optimizations). Managed business performance across core financial metrics, including EBITDA, Capex, Working Capital, and Cash Flow. Directed the implementation of operational excellence programs, including Six Sigma, Kaizen, and management routines, driving productivity and cost improvements. Led the turnaround strategy and execution for a zinc smelting asset, restoring performance and strengthening operational and financial results.

Led investment, divestiture, joint venture, and business development initiatives across zinc, nickel, aluminum, and copper in multiple geographies. Participated in 10+ global initiatives across Brazil, Peru, China, and the United States, including: - Sell‑side M&A of a zinc recycling business with assets in the U.S. and China - Joint venture formation with a zinc recycling company in Brazil - Valuation and assessment of prospective copper deposit targets in Peru

Responsible for managing activities of maintenance (corrective, preventive, and predictive in the mechanical, electrical, and civil disciplines), utilities (energy, steam, and water), sustaining and HSE. Achieved record zinc production through improved asset availability and reliability.

Led a turnaround through Capex‑driven asset recovery, modernization, and HSE improvements.

Led corporate coordination of operational excellence programs such as Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing and others

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