JEYAKUMAR JANAKARAJ
JEYAKUMAR “ JJ ” JANAKARAJ isn ’ t your ordinary executive . Since starting his career in the smelting sector in India , JJ has quickly become one of the most well-known names in mining . A walking example of success , he has proven that hard work , dedication and the right attitude are key traits to help one thrive in his or her professional career . In addition , strong leaders who provided priceless insights also played a large role — and he never forgets it .
“ I ’ ve worked through the ranks and grown through the ranks ,” JJ explained . “ I ’ ve been given a lot of opportunities to do things because of the mentoring from my superiors , which really helped to catapult my career .”
As the current CEO of Adani Mining , the Australian-based subsidiary of the Adani Group , JJ is forging a path for the continued growth of the industry , most recently through the Carmichael coal , railway and port project . Based in Queensland , Australia , Adani ’ s project is set to develop the first fully autonomous mine site in the world , not to mention the largest . With projected capex and sustaining expenditure through the project ’ s life of USD $ 16.5 billion , expectations for the revolutionary project are almost as high as the cost : 60 million tonnes of coal will be produced each year , while 10,000 new jobs will be created . But JJ didn ’ t start at the top ; in fact , as he explained : “ I didn ’ t fall out of the sky and become CEO of Adani Mining overnight .”
Rising Up the Ranks JJ ’ s career began in 1992 when he joined ESSAR Steel before transitioning to Sterlite Industries as a mechanical engineer of the copper division at Tuticorin in 1995 . During his tenure at Sterlite , JJ held various positions including Chief Executive Officer of their subsidiary , Copper Mines of Tasmania .
“ I took over as the Head of Projects for Hindustan Zinc in 2002 , and was responsible for the expansion from 0.16MT to 1.06 MT capacity during this period , when we became the world ’ s largest integrated zinc producer through 2008 .”
In 2008 , he joined Konkola Copper Mines PLC , a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources PLC .
“ When the financial crisis hit , I was sent to the Konkola mines in Zambia ,”
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