Our management team
Our management team
Champion Iron experts share a single mission:
responsible and carefully planned profitability
Michael O’Keeffe
Executive Chairman of the Board
A metallurgist by training, Michael serves as executive chairman of Champion Iron. His vast knowledge of the mining industry and its issues and his extensive experience managing large companies have given him an impressive track record of rock-solid achievements.
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Riversdale Mining Limited (2004-2011)
As executive chairman, Michael drove the development of this Australian mining company, taking it from a junior company with a market capitalization of $7 million to a major company acquired by Rio Tinto for the staggering sum of $4 billion. During his tenure at Riversdale Mining, Michael raised nearly $780 million for the company.
Glencore Australia Limited (1995-2004)
As managing director, Michael was responsible for Glencore’s Australian acquisitions. Under his tutelage, company market share in Australia and South Asia increased exponentially, and sales exploded from $100 million to $2.4 billion.
Mount Isa Mines (1975-1994)
At Mount Isa, Michael rose with determination up to executive management level in commercial activities of this mining company in Queensland, Australia. His mandates included feasibility studies for copper smelting and pursuing refining opportunities in Europe, Asia, North America and South America.
David Cataford, Eng.
Chief Executive Officer and Director
David Cataford joined Champion Iron in 2014. He held the position of Chief Operating Officer before being appointed CEO of the Company in 2019. Mr. Cataford steered the recovery of assets, the restart of the Bloom Lake mine and today, with the support of a team of over 1,160 employees, he leads all of the company’s growth projects. Under his leadership, Champion Iron has forged a strong position in the green steel supply chain, building on a trust-based partnership with First Nations communities.
Prior to joining Champion Iron, he held various management positions with other mining companies operating in the Labrador Trough, including Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. and ArcelorMittal. He was also co-founder and president of the North Shore and Labrador Mineral Processing Society.
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Mr. Cataford holds a bachelor’s degree in mining engineering from Université Laval. His career path has earned him several awards, including the Young Mining Professionals Award and the Brendan Woods International Top Gun CEO Award.
Alexandre Belleau, Eng.
Chief Operating Officer
Alexandre Belleau joined Champion Iron in 2016. As Chief Operating Officer, he oversees many sectors of the company – logistics, operations, exploration and projects, which benefit from his expertise in business development and project management. Driven by a constant desire to innovate and push back boundaries, he fully contributes to the organization’s growth while creating value for employees, host communities, partners and shareholders.
Prior to joining Champion Iron, he participated in the creation of two startups specializing in building control technologies and bioenergy. He also worked in the energy efficiency and recreational products sectors.
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Mr. Belleau holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Université de Sherbrooke and is an executive member of the Québec Mining Association since 2018.
Donald Tremblay
Chief Financial Officer
Donald Tremblay joined Champion Iron in 2022 as Chief Financial Officer. With an extensive experience of over 25 years in finance and the mining industry, he has developed strategic skills in capital markets, investor relations and corporate development, which complement his experience in accounting, taxation, controls and compliance.
He previously held similar positions with private and publicly traded companies, including Iron Ore Company of Canada, TransAlta Corporation and Brookfield Renewable Power.
Learn more about Mr. Tremblay »
Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), Mr. Tremblay holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the Université du Québec en Outaouais.
Steve Boucratie
Senior Vice-President - General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Steve Boucratie joined Champion Iron in May 2019 as Vice-President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary.
He brings more than 18 years of legal and transaction experience to the team. He was previously serving as Director, Legal Affairs and Assistant Corporate Secretary for Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd. Before Osisko, He was also a partner of the law firm Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP where he practiced corporate law.
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Mr. Boucratie holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from HEC Montréal, a bachelor’s degree in law from Université de Montréal and a postgraduate diploma (DESS) in common law and transnational law from Université de Sherbrooke.
Michael Marcotte, CFA
Senior Vice-President - Corporate Development and Capital Markets
Michael Marcotte joined Champion Iron in 2018 as Vice-President of Investor Relations, then promoted to Senior Vice-President of Corporate Development and Capital Markets in 2021. He was formerly Vice-President and Partner at Orion Financial Inc. for 15 years, which was later acquired by Macquarie Capital Markets Canada Ltd. During this time, he focused on natural resources equities with institutional investors across North America and Europe. His previous experience includes natural resource equity research at various institutional asset managers.
He received the “TopGun” award by Brendan Wood International as a leading institutional sales professional in 2017 and 2018, then as a leading global investor relations representative in 2023. He also served for several years on the Board of Directors of Ruelle de l’Avenir, a non-profit organization contributing to the learning and academic success of young people in greater Montréal.
Learn more about Mr. Marcotte »
Mr. Marcotte is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), a Calvin C. Potter Fellow and holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration (BAA) from Concordia University.
Angela Kourouklis, CRIA, MBA
Senior Vice-President - Human Resources
Angela Kourouklis joined Champion Iron in August 2021 as Senior Vice-President, Human Resources. Through the implementation of a company-wide leadership development program, her strong commitment to First Nations relations and the alignment of the organization’s people strategies, she fully contributes to Champion Iron’s corporate culture.
Prior to joining Champion Iron, she worked in various sectors such as manufacturing, aerospace, hospitality, food, retail and media. Today, with over twenty years of experience in human resources management, her human touch enables her to foster engagement, innovation and creativity as she positions people at the heart of the company in a context of significant growth.
Learn more about Ms. Kourouklis »
Ms. Kourouklis holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Relations from the Université de Montréal, an MBA from UQAM and an EMBA from the Université Paris Dauphine – PSL. She is also certified as a Corporate Director (ASC) by Université Laval’s Collège des administrateurs de sociétés.
François Lavoie, Eng.
Senior Vice-President, Sales, Technical Marketing and Product Development
In 2017, François Lavoie joined Quebec Iron Ore (QIO), a subsidiary of Champion Iron, as Chief Metallurgist and contributed to the Bloom Lake mine site recommissioning in 2018.
Promoted Senior Vice-President, Sales, Technical Marketing and Product Development in July 2024, he is now a member of Champion Iron’s management team. In this capacity, he evaluates and develops new approaches to improve high-purity iron ore products that support steel industry decarbonization projects around the world in addition to being responsible for the company’s sales and marketing strategies. He also helps lead growth projects and build partnerships, while fully participating in the organization’s strategic planning and mission.
In recognition of his outstanding early career achievements in mineral processing, the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) awarded him the Bill Moore Special Achievement Award in 2022. He was also a founding member of the Canadian Mineral Processors (CMP) Côte-Nord and Labrador chapter and served as its president for over 5 years.
Mr. Lavoie holds a bachelor’s degree in metallurgy from Université Laval.
