Chile's Codelco to name Jorge Gomez as new CEO, sources say

Anglo American

03/06/2026 17:46

By Fabian Cambero

    SANTIAGO, June 3 (Reuters) - Chile's embattled state copper giant Codelco is set to name Jorge Gomez as its new CEO on Wednesday as the company continues to deal with fallout following a scandal over inflated production figures, sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. 
Gomez had been serving as head of the Collahuasi copper mine, one of the world's largest, since 2012 and will replace current CEO Ruben Alvarado. 
Alvarado had been set to speak in Congress on Wednesday but cancelled his appearance, legislative sources told Reuters.
Before working at Collahuasi, Gomez had served as a top executive in Codelco in charge of mines in central Chile.

    Gomez and Codelco did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
  
The move continues far-right President Jose Antonio Kast's reshaping of Codelco, which he has criticized for having production and safety issues and promised to put on a new path.
In May, Kast tapped economist Bernardo Fontaine to replace Maximo Pacheco as chairman of the board and replaced two board members. 
When announcing those changes to the board, Mining Minister Daniel ⁠Mas, who was appointed by Kast, said the new board members will ​be tasked with a "special mandate" to lead an investigation and external audit to ​address recent production issues.
In late May, Codelco fired an executive and took disciplinary action against other employees following an internal audit into improper reporting of its 2025 production figures. 

     In March, Reuters first reported on the 
    doubts surrounding Codelco's December production spikes
    . 
  
     

(Reporting by Fabian Cambero; Writing by Alexander Villegas; Editing by Kylie Madry and Chizu Nomiyama )
((Alexander.Villegas@thomsonreuters.com; +56 9 9818 8538;))