René Muga - MINING SUMMIT

René joined BHP in October 2021 in Chile as Vice President Corporate Affairs Minerals Americas, having responsibility over community, government relations and communications matters of BHP operations in Latin America.  

René is a Commercial Engineer, Political Scientist and Economist from the Catholic University of Chile and has had an extensive career in the mining industry.  Holds a Diploma in US Studies from the University of California San Diego.

Prior to joining BHP, René was Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Permitting & Environment in Anglo American, responsible for the business unit of copper Chile and leading all community relations, government affairs, institutional relations, and sustainability matters.  He was Executive Director and Country Manager at Barrick from 2015 until 2019, leading all communication, government, and community relations activities in Chile. He also worked as Director, Business Development for Codelco from 2001 to 2006.  

René has held numerous senior positions, both in national and international organizations across the public and private sectors including diplomatic positions in Brussels and London. He also has extensive experience leading prominent trade associations, having worked as Director of Economic Relations with Europe for the Minister of Foreign Affairs, where he led the trade negotiations with the EU from 1996 to 2000, General Manager of the Commerce and Production Confederation (CPC) from 2006 to 2010, VP Corporate Affairs LAN Airlines from 2010-2011 and first Executive VP of the Chilean Electric Power Generators Association from 2011 - 2015.

In 2004 René was appointed as Executive Director of the APEC Business Advisory Council and the APEC CEO Summit held in Santiago in November 2004.

René was a Professor at the Catholic University of Chile in economics, macroeconomic theory, political science, public policies, international economy, and international economic relations.