Mr. Bernardo Velázquez Herreros, a Spanish citizen, and an Industrial Engineer from the Comillas Pontifical University (ICAI), is the CEO of Acerinox and has been a member of the company’s Executive Committee since 2010. Moreover, he formed part of the Sustainability Committee from its outset in the year 2020 until 2023.

Since he joined Acerinox’s Marketing Department in 1990, Mr. Velázquez has risen through successive positions of increasing responsibility within the company, gaining in-depth experience in the international stainless steel business. On his return to Spain after a tenure in Mexico and Australia, he held the positions of Assistant Managing Director, Chief Information Officer, and Head of Strategic Planning. In 2007, he was appointed as Managing Director, a position that he held until his appointment as CEO in July 2010.

Mr. Velázquez is currently the Chairman of North American Stainless, Inc. in the United States, and Chairman of the Advisory Board of VDM Metals Holding GmbH and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of VDM Metals GmbH, both in Germany. Moreover, he is also the Chairman of UNESID (Steel Production Companies Association), the Vice Chairman of World Stainless (International Stainless Steel Association) and a Board Member of Eurofer (European Steel Association).

Furthermore, he is also a member of the Advisory Board of the A LA PAR Foundation and a member of the Board of Trustees of the SERES Foundation.

During his career at Acerinox, Mr. Velázquez has served on the Boards of Directors of Columbus Stainless (Pty.) Ltd in South Africa and of Bahru Stainless SDN. BHD. in Malaysia, as the Chairman. He has also been the Chairman of Acerinox Europa, S.A.U., Inoxcenter, S.L.U., both in Spain, World Stainless, and the Eurofer Stainless Steel Group, and he has been a member of the Executive Board of World Steel (International Steel Producers Association).

Mr. Velázquez also participates in different forums, including the High Advisory Council of the Engineering Institute of Spain, the Association of large electrical energy consumer companies (AEGE), the Advisory Group of Non-Financial Companies of the European Central Bank and the Spanish Industry High-Level Forum of the Ministry for Industry and Tourism.