Nigel Steward

Co-Director of the Centre for Sectoral Economic Performance, Imperial College London

Nigel Steward spent nearly four decades at Rio Tinto and Alcan, serving as Chief Scientist and Managing Director of Copper & Diamonds Operations, as well as holding senior leadership roles in technology, R&D, supply chain, and operations across the aluminium and copper divisions. He is now Professor of Practice and Director of the Centre for Sectoral Economic Performance at Imperial College London. Earlier in his career, he developed extensive expertise in metallurgy, materials science, and large-scale industrial innovation. Nigel holds a BSc in Metallurgy & Materials Science from Imperial College London, a PhD in Ceramic Science from Imperial, and an MBA from Queen’s University.