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Nucor's Topalian named vice chair of worldsteel

Written by Ethan Bernard

October 15, 2024

Nucor’s top executive Leon Topalian has been elected vice chair of the World Steel Association (worldsteel) for the 2024-25 time period.

Topalian, the chair, president, and CEO of the Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker, will hold the position for one year.  

A spokeswoman for Nucor celebrated the news in a statement to SMU.

“As North America’s largest steel producer, Nucor is proud to represent the American steel industry on the worldsteel executive board,” she said.

She noted Topalian looks forward to staying on the executive board as vice chair, having just completed a one-year term as chair.

“Worldsteel provides an important forum for global steelmakers to discuss issues impacting our industry, including trade and decarbonization, as well as sharing best practices in areas such as safety performance and sustainability,” she added.

Members of worldsteel represent ~85% of global steel production. The association maintains relationships with many international organizations, including the United Nations and the OECD.

On Tuesday, Worldsteel also named the following officers elected to serve for the next year:

  • Chair – Thachat Viswanath Narendran – CEO and managing director, India-based Tata Steel
  • Vice-Chair – Uğur Dalbeler – CEO, Turkey-based Çolakoğlu Metalurji A.Ş.
  • Treasurer – Mark Vassella, managing director and CEO, Australia-based BlueScope Steel Limited
  • Chair of worldstainless – Akihiko Inoue, representative director and president, Tokyo-based Nippon Steel Stainless Steel Corp.

Additionally, U.S. Steel President and CEO David Burritt was elected to the 2024-25 executive committee, worldsteel said.

For US companies, worldsteel also welcomed Beaumont, Texas-based Optimus Steel LLC as a regular member. CEO Luis Barrenechea will serve as the company’s representative at worldsteel. Optimus makes wire rod, straight plus coiled rebar, and billets at its Beaumont facility.

Ethan Bernard

Ethan Bernard is a reporter and editor for Steel Market Update. He previously worked for American Metal Market as a copy editor in the New York office for two years starting in 2008. Later, he copy edited AMM’s monthly magazine on a freelance basis from 2015 until 2017. With experience in financial copywriting and textbook publishing, he holds a BA in Comparative Literature from UC Berkeley, and an MFA. in Creative Writing from New York University. He can be reached at ethan@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-759-7871.

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