Highfield Resources Ltd has made strategic leadership changes within its Spanish subsidiary, Geoalcali S.L., as the company advances the construction and development of its flagship Muga potash project.
Effective immediately, Carles Aleman will take over as chief executive officer (CEO) of Geoalcali, while Olivier Vadillo, formerly head of marketing and investor relations, assumes the newly created role of head of corporate strategy and business development. These changes are aimed at deepening stakeholder engagement and reinforcing leadership as the project moves into its next phase.
New CEO brings deep industrial and operational experience
Aleman served as head of plant construction and health, safety and environment (HSE) at Muga. He brings over 30 years of global leadership experience in the chemical and mining sectors. His credentials include degrees in Business Sciences, Chemistry, and Pharmacy, along with a Masters in Chemistry and an MBA from ESADE Business School.
Aleman’s previous roles include senior positions at BASF, CIBA-GEIGY, and managing director of Pymag-Curtin. He was most recently president of ICL Iberia, a role he held from 2017 before joining Geoalcali in 2023. As CEO, he will oversee all local operations and liaise directly with Spanish and regional authorities.
Expanded corporate role for Olivier Vadillo
Olivier Vadillo, now transitions from his former role overseeing marketing and investor relations. He holds a mathematics degree from the University of Edinburgh and a Masters from the London School of Economics.
With more than 15 years in strategic consultancy, Vadillo has held positions at Wood Mackenzie and Deloitte, including as head of metals research in Sydney. Multilingual and globally experienced, he has led Highfield’s stakeholder engagement and played a key role in strategic and financing initiatives across the business.
Chairman underscores strategic balance of appointments
Chairman Paul Harris welcomed the appointments.
“We congratulate Carles Aleman on his appointment as CEO of Geoalcali and are pleased to see Olivier take on a broader strategic role. With these changes, we are achieving the right balance of strong local leadership in Spain and experienced international engagement. This structure ensures that we are well positioned to deliver the Muga project with the confidence of all stakeholders—both in Spain and globally,” Harris said.
Highfield signs US$300 million LOI with China’s top potash producer
Highfield recently signed a non-binding letter of intent (LOI) with Qinghai Salt Lake Industry Co. Ltd, China’s largest potash producer, for a proposed US$300 million equity investment. The agreement, if finalised, would see Qinghai Salt Lake become Highfield’s largest shareholder and assume a controlling interest, subject to approvals.
The investment is intended to accelerate the development of the Muga potash project in Spain and support its potential acquisition of the Southey potash project in Saskatchewan, Canada, from Yankuang Energy Group. The funding arrangement is further backed by strategic investor EMR Capital, signalling growing international interest in Highfield’s global potash ambitions.
Read more: Highfield Resources lands fresh funding, advances China Minmetals-backed potash deal