OREANDA-NEWS. June 14, 2012. Mechel (NYSE: MTL), one of the leading Russian mining and metals companies, reports the appointment of Sergei Zhilyakov as the Chief Executive Officer of Mechel Ferroalloys Management, reported the press-centre of Mechel.

Sergei Zhilyakov was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Mechel Ferroalloys Management. He will be tasked with operational control over the group’s ferroalloys division enterprises. His predecessor at this post, Gennady Ovchinnikov, was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Donetsk Electrometallurgical Plant, which is also part of Mechel.

Sergei Zhilyakov has 37 years of experience in electrometallurgy and ferroalloys and is well acquainted with the specifics of Mechel’s ferroalloys business, as in 2008-2009 he served as deputy chief executive officer in Mechel Ferroalloys Management. Before then, since 2006 Mr. Zhilyakov headed the department responsible for development of the group’s ferroalloys business.

Gennady Ovchinnikov is one of Mechel’s most experience top managers, who as chief of the ferroalloys division has done much for its stable development. Now his experience and knowledge will be employed at the post of the chief executive officer of Donetsk Electrometallurgical Plant — a new asset which joined the group in December 2011. Mr. Ovchinnikov will focus on strategic issues of developing the enterprise, the plant’s successful integration into the steel division and work by Mechel’s standards. He will tackle the main tasks facing Donetsk Electrometallurgical Plant today, such as increasing the enterprise’s efficiency and output of high-tech products.

Mr. Zhilyakov, 58, was head of Rusal Global Management B.V. production department in April-October 2011. In 2008-2009 he was deputy chief executive officer and head of the production and technical policy department at Mechel Ferroalloys Management. In 2006-2008, he consequently headed the capital construction department, was deputy chief of the department for reconstruction and development of Mechel’s steel and ferroalloys complexes, and headed the ferroalloys production development department at Mechel Management Company.

In 2000-2006, he was first deputy director of Sibelectrosplav. Since 1975 and until 2000, he worked at Kuznetsk Ferroalloys Plant, working his way up from a smelter to a chief executive officer and chairman of the management board. Mr. Zhilyakov graduated Sibirsky Metallurgical Institute, specializing in ferrous metallurgy. He has been awarded with the state Order of Friendship and is the Honored Metallurgist of the Russian Federation.