IMA Europe Elects New President
IMA-Europe Elects Leah Wilson as New President, Building on a Strong Mandate for Europe’s Industrial Minerals
IMA-Europe announces the election of Ms Leah Wilson from Imerys as its new President, marking a new phase for the association as it continues to strengthen the recognition of industrial minerals as essential to Europe’s economy, resilience, and daily life.
This transition follows a pivotal two-year period under the presidency of Brendan Clifford, during which IMA-Europe reinforced its role as a trusted voice for the sector at EU level, at a time of unprecedented challenges and transformation.
A Presidency Focused on Resilience, Responsibility, and Recognition of Essentiality
Over the past two years, the industrial minerals sector has operated in an increasingly complex environment shaped by geopolitical instability, energy market challenges, supply chain pressures, and rising expectations on sustainability and social responsibility. Under Brendan Clifford’s leadership, IMA-Europe successfully navigated these challenges while strengthening its core narrative: industrial minerals are indispensable to Europe’s strategic autonomy, climate ambitions, and industrial value chains.
During this period, the association intensified its engagement with policymakers and stakeholders to underline the importance of safe, responsible, and locally produced industrial minerals. Particular emphasis was placed on improving understanding of the sector’s role in supporting essential industries, securing high-quality jobs across Europe, and ensuring that mineral production is aligned with environmental protection and societal expectations.
IMA-Europe warmly thanks Brendan Clifford for his steady leadership, commitment, and clear strategic direction, which helped position the association to address both present challenges and future opportunities.
A Forward-Looking Presidency for Europe’s Industrial Future
As she takes on the presidency, Leah Wilson brings extensive international experience and strong sustainability leadership to IMA-Europe at a decisive moment for Europe’s industrial and policy agenda.
Leah joined Imerys in 2017 and has played a central role in advancing the Group’s sustainability strategy. Her career spans operational, engineering, and business development roles, as well as senior sustainability and environment leadership positions across multiple regions worldwide. Since October 2022, she has served as Group Chief Sustainability Officer and member of the Executive Committee at Imerys, leading the company’s decarbonisation roadmap and long-term sustainability strategy.
On her election, Leah Wilson stated:
“I am deeply honoured and enthusiastic to step into the role of President of IMA-Europe. This appointment is not just a personal milestone, but a powerful recognition of the industrial minerals sector’s unwavering commitment to sustainability and innovation. Our priority is clear: to demonstrate that the safe and responsible extraction and processing of industrial minerals are absolutely critical to enabling Europe’s future.”
Essential, Responsible, and Made in Europe
At the heart of this mandate lies a clear message: Europe needs industrial minerals that are responsibly produced in the EU. Local extraction and processing are critical to reducing dependencies, strengthening supply chain resilience, and safeguarding skilled, high-quality jobs for European citizens.
IMA-Europe will continue to work closely with policymakers, communities, and stakeholders to demonstrate that industrial minerals are essential in everyday life, can be produced safely, transparently, and in alignment with Europe’s environmental and social values.
Continuity and Commitment
Building on the solid foundations laid during Brendan Clifford’s presidency, and looking ahead under Leah Wilson’s leadership, IMA-Europe remains committed to promoting a resilient, competitive, and sustainable industrial minerals sector-one that is essential to Europe’s resilient future and trusted by society.
The association looks forward to the next two years of collaboration, advocacy, and engagement in support of a strong and responsible industrial minerals value chain in Europe.
