Ep21: Pushing Boundaries: Vanessa Torres on leadership and innovation

With over 30 years in mining across five countries, Vanessa Torres, Chief Operating Officer Australia of South32, shares her journey from Brazil to the boardroom. A senior leader at South32 with Doctorate and Master’s degrees in Minerals Engineering, she discusses the challenges she faced navigating socio-political dynamics as a young mining leader. Hear how she applied artificial intelligence in mining, led multi-billion-dollar operations, and built a reputation for safe, profitable management. Vanessa also shares how she unwinds through her love of football and Formula One racing.   David Beilby 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbeilby/  Alana Bray-White 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/alana-bray-white-8b4478219/  Vanessa Torres 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessatorres/ ivy & gecko  🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/ivy-gecko   Timecodes: (00:00) Acknowledging Traditional Owners (00:13 Introduction to Hearts and Minds Podcast (01:23 Meet Vanessa Torres (12:21) Vanessa's Career Journey (17:30) Leadership (25:33) Inspiring the Next Generation for Mining (26:07) The Necessity of Mining for Society 26:36 Addressing the Mining Industry's Image Problem (27:34 Space and Ocean Mining (29:40) The Ideal Culture in Mining Businesses (31:47) The Role of Leaders in Shaping Culture (40:56) The Impact of AI on the Mining Industry (44:22) Decarbonisation and the Future of Energy (48:23) Rapid Fire Questions (54:36) Final Reflections   Follow Hearts & Mines 🌐 LinkedIn  🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/hearts-mines   Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in 'Hearts & Mines' are those of the podcast participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of ivy & gecko or any other agency, organisation, employer, or company associated with the podcast. Content provided is for informational purposes only.