The World Coal Institute (WCI) has appointed Dr Don Elder as its new Chairman. Elder was elected Chairman at the 48th WCI Board Meeting held in Brussels and succeeds Preston Chiaro. A Director of the WCI since 2003, Elder is Chief Executive Officer of Solid Energy New Zealand, New Zealand’s largest primary energy producer. Solid Energy produces and distributes coal, biomass, biofuels, coal bed methane and solar energy and regularly participates in new energy research and commercialisation including carbon capture and storage (CCS), alternative energy and waste re-use.

Elder is also the Deputy Chairman of the Coal Industry Advisory Board to the International Energy Agency. On his appointment, Elder commented: “Supply of secure, affordable energy is increasingly one of the greatest challenges facing the world and coal is an increasingly critical component of the supply mix, but it also must rise to the challenge of supporting environmental sustainability. It is a great honour to be asked to chair the WCI at one of the most exciting times in the history of the industry.”

WCI Chief Executive, Milton Catelin, welcomed the appointment of Elder and also paid tribute to the contribution of the outgoing Chairman, Preston Chiaro. Catelin: “Preston has been a great ambassador for the World Coal Institute and for the coal industry more widely.” He continued: “We look forward to working with Don in continuing to progress the work of WCI and meeting the evolving challenges faced by the coal industry worldwide.”