Mauro Longobardo
Birth placeItaly, Gallarate
EducationPolitecnico di Milano/MIT
OccupationCEO
OrganizationArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih

Mauro Longobardo is the Chief Executive Officer of ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih.[1][2][3][4]

Longobardo is also Vice-Chairman of ArcelorMittal Tubular Products in Saudi Arabia, Vice-President of the European Business Association in Ukraine, and Member of the Supervisory Board at RMHC's Ukraine.[5][6]

Early life and education

Mauro Longobardo was born in the Lombardian town of Gallarate.[7]He graduated of the Polytechnic University of Milan, Italy, majoring in Materials Engineering[8] He obtained a degree from MIT Sloan School of Management in Boston. Longobardo received further executive education at IAE, the Management and Business School of the Austral University (Argentina).[9]

Career

From 2002 to 2006, Mauro Longobardo worked for Tenaris Dalmine (Italy) in quality and product development.[10] He then moved to Argentina, overseeing different manufacturing sites at the Tenaris Siderca plant, located near Buenos Aires.[11]

In 2010, he moved to Dubai to become worldwide coordination director for Oil Country Tubular Goods (OCTG). He also worked as commercial director and regional manager in Iraq, Qatar, Oman, Yemen, Pakistan, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan.[9] From 2013 to 2015, Longobardo joined PJSC Chelpipe as Deputy CEO. After 2015, he joined Interpipe Group, becoming the chief operating officer in Ukraine.[9]

Longobardo joined the ArcelorMittal Group in February 2018 as CEO of ArcelorMittal Tubular Products Jubail, a joint venture between ArcelorMittal and Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF). He held this position up to July 31, 2021 and was then appointed Member of the Board and Vice-Chairman.[12][13][14]

Since November 2020, Longobardo has served as a member of the Supervisory Board of the European Business Association in Ukraine.[15] In 2021, he became Vice President of the association.[16] Нe is expected to hold this position until 2027.[17] In 2025, Longobardo was put on the 7th place of Forbes Ukraine’s ranking of Best 25 CEOs of Ukraine.[18]

For two consecutive years, Longobardo was included by the independent business media outlet Delo.ua in its list of the 50 most experienced CEOs in Ukraine.[19]

Role at ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih

Since February 18, 2020, to the current moment he has been the CEO of ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih plant, which is part of ArcelorMittal international corporation.[20][21][22] In 2021, the last year before Russia's invasion in February 2022, the steelmaker's peak output totalled 4.9 million tons.[23]

ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih was shut down for security reasons in February 2022, at the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but resumed production at 20-25 % in fall 2022.[24]

Between 2022 and 2026, the plant operated under severe conditions that included rising electricity costs, disruptions to power supply caused by Russian missile and drone attacks, a reduction in personnel exceeding 6,000 due to mobilization and departures,[25] increased tariffs of the state railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia, and growing imports of steel products from Turkey and China.[26]

However, in 2025, the company increased its tax and fee payments to UAH 8.5 billion, representing a 28% increase compared to 2024).[27] The company’s humanitarian and social assistance amounted to UAH 767 million from the start of the full-scale invasion.[28]

Prior to 2026, the plant employed more than 18,000 people.[29] Only in 2026, due to CBAM-related export restrictions and high electricity prices, ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih initiated layoffs to maintain operations.

In 2026, Mauro Longobardo has made numerous public statements regarding the potential negative consequences of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) for Ukraine in the absence of exemptions. In 2025, the plant exported approximately 920,000 tonnes of products to the European Union, representing about one-third of its capacity. In 2026, the company was unable to export the planned 1.25 million tonnes of steel products.[30]

In addition, high energy costs and carbon-related policies contributed to decisions to cease operations at certain facilities, including the blooming mill[31] and the Casting and Mechanical Plant (LMZ).[32] Mauro Longobardo has also expressed concerns regarding the competitiveness of Ukrainian industry, the level of state support, and the risks of deindustrialization and loss of industrial and economic capacity.[33]

Philantropy

Mauro Longobardo has provided patronage and financial support to the BC Kryvbas basketball club based in Kryvyi Rih. ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih served as the team’s anchor sponsor.[34] In the 2023–24 season, the team reached the playoffs of the Ukrainian Basketball SuperLeague and was considered a contender for the semifinals.[35]

See Also

References

  1. ^ "Chi è l’italiano che sta dietro all’acciaio ucraino" (in Italian). 24+. 2022-05-31. Retrieved 2023-04-11.
  2. ^ Journal, Marcus Walker / Photographs by Joseph Sywenkyj for The Wall Street. "Ukraine. Economy Stabilizes, a Boost Alongside Rapid Military Gains". WSJ. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
  3. ^ "KSTL.UA Company Profile & Executives - ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih PJSC - Wall Street Journal". www.wsj.com. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
  4. ^ Голова "Криворіжсталі" Мауро Лонгобардо: рента, електроенергія, газ – усе це має бути дешевше
  5. ^ MarketScreener. "Mauro Longobardo - Biography". www.marketscreener.com. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
  6. ^ "Ukraine: the $10bn steel plant at the heart of Russia. Economic warfare". Financial Times. 2022-08-26. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
  7. ^ Біографія Мауро Лонгобардо
  8. ^ "Notable Alumni". Alumni. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
  9. ^ "Ukraine: Mauro Longobardo to chair ArcelorMittal Kriviy Rih". The Ukrainian Metal. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
  10. ^ Думки вголос. Генеральний директор АрселорМіттал Кривий Ріг Мауро Лонгобардо розповів про життєві уроки і своїх принципах роботи
  11. ^ ""Chi è l'italiano che sta dietro all'acciaio ucraino"" (in Italian). 24+. 2022-05-31. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
  12. ^ СБУ напоминает КГБ
  13. ^ "A time for local companies to lead - Mauro LONGOBARDO - The Energy Year". theenergyyear.com. 2020-05-05. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
  14. ^ "Ferro e fuoco: nel bastione d’acciaio dell’Ucraina". Corriere della Sera. 2022-04-05. Retrieved 2023-04-11.
  15. ^ Генеральний директор «АрселорМіттал Кривий Ріг» Мауро Лонгобардо увійшов до складу Правління Європейської Бізнес Асоціації
  16. ^ Діма замість Фіали
  17. ^ The European Business Association elects a new President for 2026-2027
  18. ^ 25 найкращих CEO України 2025
  19. ^ Переможці рейтингу "ТОП-50 лідерів українського бізнесу" 2026 року
  20. ^ Campbell, Joseph (2022-04-27). "Major Ukraine steel plant ramps back up - but Russian troops are close". Reuters. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
  21. ^ "Interviews on GMK Center read interviews with CEO of metallurgy companies". GMK. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
  22. ^ Baca-Pogorzelska, Karolina (2022-04-02). "Gigantyczna fabryka wznowi produkcje w miescie Zelenskiego. Co jest symbol. Ukraina zyje" (in Polish). Biznes Wprost. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
  23. ^ Ukraine's ArcelorMittal boosts steel output by 70% in 2024
  24. ^ Simon Meyer mit Mauro Longobardo, CEO von ArcelorMittal Ukraine : „Die Situation ist angespannt“ stahl.de 18.Oct 2022
  25. ^ Mauro Longobardo: “The problem is competitiveness, even after the war”
  26. ^ Imported rolled steel strengthened its position on the Ukrainian market in 2025
  27. ^ Over five years, Ukrainian steelmakers paid $5.9 billion in taxes and fees
  28. ^ Рахунок пішов на мільярди
  29. ^ Ukrainian women wanted in factories as men drafted into army
  30. ^ Electricity prices make operations unprofitable
  31. ^ ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih has permanently ceased production at its blooming mill
  32. ^ ArcelorMittal to close its second unit in Ukraine amid Russian attacks on power sector
  33. ^ Металургія у піке: китайський демпінг та турецька сталь добивають українські заводи
  34. ^ ArcelorMittal invested ₴258 million in Kryvyi Rih’s development in 2021
  35. ^ FBU 2023-24 Results