A ppointed less than a year ago, Paulo Castellari is thus leaving his position ahead of schedule. The Board of Directors has not detailed the nature of the disagreements, though it specified that they concerned issues of approach and governance.

This decision opens a new phase of governance for the French mining group at a particularly sensitive moment for its activities in Gabon, a key country in its manganese strategy. The change at the head of the executive management comes as the Gabonese authorities have recently enacted a ban on raw manganese exports—a structuring measure aimed at accelerating the local processing of mineral resources and strengthening the country’s economic sovereignty. For Eramet, through its subsidiary Comilog, Gabon represents a major industrial and strategic pillar, both in terms of volumes and investments.

The temporary resumption of the Chief Executive Officer role by Christel Bories, who is also Chair of the Board of Directors and former CEO of the group, marks a tightening of strategic oversight in the short term. This configuration could enable Eramet to achieve greater decision-making coherence in a context where discussions with the Gabonese State demand clarity, swift execution, and strategic alignment.

According to the group, Paulo Castellari’s departure is linked to differences in approach and governance. While these differences are officially described as internal considerations, they nonetheless arise in an external environment that is increasingly demanding for mining operators, particularly in Africa, where States are strengthening their expectations regarding local processing, value creation, and industrialization.

In Gabon, these issues were recently at the center of a videoconference meeting between the Minister of Mines and Eramet’s Executive Board. Discussions focused on the concrete implications of the ban on raw manganese exports, the existing industrial capacities, and the investment trajectories expected from the French group.

In the medium term, the announced separation of the roles of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, once a new leader has been appointed, will also serve to reassure institutional partners and Gabonese authorities about the stability of the group’s governance. For Eramet, the challenge now is to turn this transitional phase into a strategic opportunity, in a context where Gabon is more determined than ever to regain control over the development of its natural resources.

In the medium term, the announced separation of the roles of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, once a new leader has been appointed, will also serve to reassure institutional partners and Gabonese authorities about the stability of the group’s governance. For Eramet, the challenge now is to turn this transitional phase into a strategic opportunity, in a context where Gabon is more determined than ever to regain control over the development of its natural resources.