LLM Alumnus Manuel Fumagalli of Gold Mining Firm Barrick South America Talks About His Position as Regional Counsel

Assistant Director Lucy Daberkow recently had the opportunity to meet with Manuel Fumagalli, one of the Environmental and Naturals Resources Law & Policy Graduate Program's most distinguished alumni, while he was attending a Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation conference in Boulder, Colorado.

Mr. Fumagalli, who is originally from Peru, is the Regional Counsel for Barrick South America. He was named "Outstanding LLM Student of the Year" at the Sturm College of Law in 2002.

He shared his thoughts with Ms. Daberkow about his role at Barrick:

"I started working for Barrick in 2003 developing the Alto Chicama Lagunas Norte project in Peru, and later after the South America regional business unit was created, I was appointed as Regional Counsel back in 2007. The South America region (SARBU) consists today of the Pierina and Lagunas Norte gold mines in Peru; the Veladero gold mine in Argentina; the Zaldívar copper mine in Chile; the Cerro Casale project in Chile; and the Pascua-Lama project straddling the Argentina-Chile border.

"My role as SARBU Regional Counsel requires me to provide legal advice and support to the senior management for the accomplishment of our regional business goals, participating in the definition of strategic regional priorities and corresponding action plans aligned with Corporate mandates and applicable regulations. Thus, I keep a close contact with the Office of the General Counsel, as well as with the operations and projects, travelling to the sites periodically and working along with the country legal managers and counsels as a team.

"‘Responsible Mining’ defines how we do business; we have a responsibility to protect the environment, to conduct our business in a safe way and based on the highest ethical standards, and to contribute to the welfare of the communities and countries in which we operate. Thus, I really enjoy my work.”

Ms. Daberkow said, "It was truly a pleasure to have the opportunity to visit with Manuel. His professional accomplishments as an LLM in Environmental and Natural Resources Law graduate are truly remarkable. Enhorabuena, Manuel!"

(Pictured above are from left to right, Emma Daberkow, Lucy Daberkow, Amelie Daberkow, Viviana Rodriguez, Manuel Fumagalli.)