16 October 2023
Fernando Gonzalez, CEO of Cemex appointed new President of GCCA – calls on industry and governments to take action to accelerate the decarbonization of the industry in this “decade to deliver.”
- Fernando Gonzalez is CEO of Mexico-based Cemex and has been with the company since 1998. He has been GCCA Vice-President since 2018 and succeeds outgoing GCCA President Jan Jenisch, with immediate effect.
- GCCA member companies account for 80% of the global cement industry volume outside of China.
- Through the launch of its Roadmap in 2021, cement and concrete became the first global essential industry to commit to delivering on net zero by 2050.
Fernando Gonzalez, CEO of Cemex has been elected as the new President of the Global Cement and Concrete Association, whose members are committed to achieving Net Zero’ concrete by 2050. Mr. Gonzalez is calling for the industry and governments around the world to establish a “robust regulatory framework” that can further accelerate the cement and concrete sector’s decarbonisation efforts.
Mr. Gonzalez has been GCCA Vice President since 2018 and succeeds the outgoing President, Jan Jenisch, whose term of office now ends after two years. Mr. Gonzalez is seeking to galvanize collective efforts to cut emissions, setting out the following priorities for industry and governments:
- take decisive action to phase out fossil fuels and promote the use of alternative fuels by encouraging regulation to divert societal waste from landfill to cement kilns.
- enact policies to accelerate the extensive adoption of low-carbon construction products.
- establish market-driven carbon pricing mechanisms around the world to incentivise industry to decarbonise and further develop technology focused on reducing emissions.
- collaborate and provide funding to develop new technologies to decarbonise manufacturing processes and help speed up the rollout of carbon capture, utilization, and storage.
Fernando Gonzalez said: “It is a great honour to be President of the GCCA – cement and concrete are the world’s essential building materials. As an industry, we’ve gone beyond the commitment phase to taking decisive action today to reduce our CO2 emissions.”
“While we are making important progress today on our 2030 goals, we currently have the opportunity to accelerate even more the pace of our industry’s decarbonization if we can achieve the right regulatory policies and support from governments around the world. That’s why my number one priority, as the new President of the GCCA, is to collaborate closely with governments and industry to facilitate our roadmap levers.”
Thomas Guillot, Chief Executive of the GCCA said: “I look forward to working closely with Fernando over the next two years as we advance on our net zero roadmap. I know he is fully committed to achieving our shared goal, and the hard work and commitments that means for our industry. Our industry’s first two Presidents were based in Europe and it is a sign of progress that Mr. Gonzalez is our first President from outside the region. His leadership will play an important role in accelerating our industry’s progress.”
Mr Gonzalez added: “On behalf of the Board of the GCCA and all our members, I would like to thank our outgoing President, Jan Jenisch for his significant contribution in overseeing strong progress on our 2050 Global Roadmap to Net Zero Concrete.”
Mr. Gonzalez has worked for Cemex since 1998 and brings a wealth of experience in the cement and concrete industry. On the operational side, he has led various regions of Cemex, including Europe, Asia and South Central America, and the Caribbean, and has held corporate positions in strategy, planning, business development, and human resources. He was appointed Executive Vice President of Planning and Development in 2009, Chief Financial Officer in 2011, and has been the company’s Chief Executive Officer since 2014.
/ ends
About the GCCA: The GCCA and its members account for 80% of global cement production capacity outside of China, as well as a growing number of Chinese manufacturers. Member companies have committed to reducing and ultimately eliminating CO2emissions in concrete, which currently account for around 7% globally, through implementation of the GCCA’s Concrete Future 2050 Net Zero Roadmap – the first heavy industry to set out such a detailed plan.
About Cemex: Cemex is a global construction materials company that is building a better future through sustainable products and solutions. Cemex is committed to achieving carbon neutrality through relentless innovation and industry-leading research and development. Cemex is at the forefront of the circular economy in the construction value chain and is pioneering ways to increase the use of waste and residues as alternative raw materials and fuels in its operations with the help of new technologies. Cemex offers cement, ready-mix concrete, aggregates, and urbanization solutions in growing markets around the world, powered by a multinational workforce focused on providing a superior customer experience enabled by digital technologies. For more information, please visit: www.cemex.com
More about Fernando González here
Image available here