Steve Kovac

Steve has worked in the resources sector for more than 25 years, holding technical, operational and corporate roles during that time. This included six years as a site General Manager responsible for large open cut and underground coal mining operations. He was appointed to the role of Chief Executive Officer for Idemitsu Australia in 2020 following four years as Chief Operating Officer for the company. 

In addition to his responsibilities for the existing coal operations in Australia, Steve has also led the development and implementation of the company’s transition strategy into renewable energy and critical minerals.

Idemitsu Australia has recently taken a majority equity position in Vecco Group Pty Ltd, an integrated mining and manufacturing critical minerals business, creating a vanadium battery supply chain in Australia, USA and Europe. This follows previous significant investments into Graphinex Pty Ltd, a company actively exploring for graphite in north west Queensland and Critical Minerals Group Ltd (ASX:CMG), another vanadium exploration company. Idemitsu Australia also took a major shareholding in lithium explorer Delta Lithium Ltd (ASX:DLI) which has projects in Western Australia. Steve serves as a Non-Executive Director on the Boards of Critical Minerals Group, Vecco and Delta Lithium.