We Are “Evolutionary”

P05 Watt Power
P10 Noble Health Week
P13 Marathon Madness
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JUNE 2014
ISSUE 38
We Are “Evolutionary”
The shape of a more competitive and more agile business to come
oble Agri, the landmark joint venture
between Noble Group and a consortium
consisting of COFCO Corporation, HOPU
Investments and other international financial
investors, was announced in April 2014. Noble Agri
will be established by Noble Group selling a 51%
stake in our Agri platform to the COFCO-controlled
consortium for an initial payment of US$1.5 billion,
subject to adjustment to reflect 1.15x Noble Agri’s
book value at 31 December 2014.
The JV partners’ complementary strengths and
access to capital will provide a unique opportunity
to accelerate the execution of the agricultural
business much faster than we could have done on
our own. It will give Noble Agri access to the leading
importer of corn and wheat as well as to one of the
leading importers of soybeans into China. COFCO
Corporation is the largest supplier of diversified
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X2 Secures Funding
products and services in the agri and food industry
in China and the country’s main import and export
channel for bulk agricultural commodities. Noble
Agri will become COFCO’s principal international
origination platform. HOPU Investments is a
Chinese investment and financial advisory firm
with a focus on acquiring assets in the agriculture,
energy, natural resources, consumer and financial
services industries. We are building the business
with people who share the same vision of creating
a multinational global agricultural firm that will be
“best of class”, with an Asian culture.
The creation of Noble Agri is consistent with our
asset-light strategy to partner with leading players
in industry and leverage the use of our capital.
Noble’s focus will be on moving physical product
and providing all the necessary risk management
skills that accompany the successful completion of
each and every transaction. By being the partner of
choice for Asia, with access to low-cost origination
and high-demand growth areas, Noble Agri will no
doubt, become a top-tier global player.
Noble co-invests in new mining group
said: “We have attracted a very prestigious core group of large-scale, high-quality investors
who share our vision of building a new mining group with the potential to generate
attractive returns through the cycle. We believe the timing for this venture remains very
opportune and we will now focus increased attention on starting the investment process.”
oble’s commitment to invest US$500 million in X2 Resources was finalized in
March 2014. X2 Resources has secured US$2.50 billion of committed equity
capital funding and up to a further US$1.25 billion of conditional equity capital
funding from a group of five Club Investors. Alongside Noble, TPG Capital and three
sovereign wealth and pension funds also invested equal amounts of equity. This was a
critical milestone for X2 Resources and enables investment activities to begin. Mick Davis
This creation of a new mid-tier diversified mining and metals venture, run by the
former executive management of Xstrata plc, will leverage the extensive track record of
the X2 team in identifying and acquiring assets at an opportune time and then optimizing
their operations. Noble, as a cornerstone investor, will be the preferred marketer, supply
chain manager and offtaker for all assets acquired with capital deployed by X2. This is
consistent with Noble’s asset-light strategy, as it leverages a deep pool of aggregated
third-party capital to secure long-term trade flows and organic growth.
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CEO’s Message
ttracting, developing and retaining top talent,
at all levels, are essential to the success of our
business and something that Noble needs to really
focus on. Over the last year we have been working hard on
implementing the systems and processes that will make us
become the industry leader.
Over 20 high-potential graduates from top universities
around the world are scheduled to join Noble at the entry
level this year on the new Noble Associate initiative, while
upgrading our recruitment processes and the development
of our “Employer Brand” are being rolled out in support of
our goal to become the employer of choice.
A new review process aimed at enhancing career
development is also being rolled out currently and new
systems are in place to support staff development, internal
benchmarking and standardized reward plans, providing
additional consistency and transparency.
In a second area of focus, we spent much of the GSM
talking about customers. We want to identify key customers
in growth markets and in those markets where we should
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have a bigger presence, building multi-point mutually
beneficial relationships. We have subsequently made sure
that specific regional responsibilities were allocated to
individuals on the Management Committee.
Our first on-the-ground initiative was hosted by Raj
Kapoor in Dubai, who oversaw a very successful meeting
for representatives from all our platforms discussing. On
the heels of the MENA meeting, Richard Elman attended
the Russian session, which was hosted by Roy Marsh in
Vladivostok. Will Randall will be hosting our Africa session
in a few weeks.
While we have been looking at developing new talent
and new relationships, you will be fully aware that we have
been very busy driving our existing businesses.
The landmark transaction that we announced a few
weeks back with COFCO is the quintessential manifestation
of our asset-light strategy. The transaction releases capital
for Noble, enhances our credit standing and lowers our cost
of capital, while simultaneously presenting our agricultural
platform with the momentum to propel itself into the top
tier of global players. To put the financial implications of
this transaction into a Group context, it is worth noting that,
in our results powerpoint last month, we estimated that our
pro forma net debt to capitalization on completion of the
transaction would fall to 20%.
This key transaction followed on the heels of the X2
Resources partnership that we had entered into late last
year, again providing us with the supply chain management
responsibilities for a new mid-tier mining group, overseen by
the former Xstrata management team led by Mick Davis.
Whilst these initiatives are strategically very important
for the Group, we cannot sit back and expect things “just to
happen.” We must continue to build additional partnerships
across our platforms. Much needs to be done at Noble, but it
is very encouraging to see that we are all pulling together to
ensure that our goals can be attained.
Yusuf Alireza
Chief Executive Officer
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News
Customers
Come First
2014 Global Strategy Meeting
ustomer strategy was central to the annual Global Strategy Meeting (GSM), held
in January 2014 in Macau. The theme – Customers Come First – was embedded
throughout the sessions, no more so than in the keynote presentation given by
Will Randall and Jim Wood on what it takes to build a successful customer franchise. They
stressed the importance of connecting a business’s identity to its customer relevance and
building value through constant customer engagement. “Facing a customer is always more
important than facing a screen.”
The GSM brought together our business leaders across all platforms and countries
to discuss and debate key opportunities and challenges that we face. This was the first
GSM with our full Management Committee – with all of them taking to the podium at
one time or another. From the top of Noble down, there was a general consensus that the
quality and focus in the presentations were first rate and reinforced the key objectives and
approaches that we need to adopt throughout the firm to drive it forward.
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Together with repositioning the customer at the centre of Noble’s strategy, other
priorities that were highlighted were:
• developing a leading Energy platform under our new Global Heads
• executing a turnaround year for Grains & Oilseeds and Sugar assets
• developing the Federation, an integration of all support functions to drive
these changes
• seeing a step change in making Noble the “Employer of Choice”
• delivering respectable financial results and continue cost controls
The GSM continues to be an invaluable forum, not only to unify the Group’s strategies
but also to energize and excite people about what can be achieved.
GSM is a great opportunity for senior management to have face-to-face time
Welcome on Board
Meet our newest Board Member
Christopher Dale Pratt
Independent Non-Executive Director
Mr. Pratt was a Director and the Chairman of Swire Pacific
until his retirement in March 2014. He was also Chairman of
Cathay Pacific Airways Limited, Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering
Company Limited, John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Limited and Swire
Properties Limited, and a Director of Swire Beverages Limited,
Air China Limited and The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking
Corporation Limited. He joined the Swire Group in 1978 and
has worked with them in Hong Kong, Australia and Papua
New Guinea. Mr. Pratt was awarded the CBE (Commander
of the Order of the British Empire) in 2000 for services to the
community in Papua New Guinea. Mr. Pratt is an Independent
Non-Executive Director of Johnson Electric Holdings Limited,
and a Non-Executive Director of PureCircle Limited.
Speaking about Chris Pratt’s appointment, Chairman Richard
Elman said: “We are delighted that Chris has agreed to join the
Board of Noble. After a distinguished thirty-five year career
in Asia with Swire, which culminated in his appointment as
Chairman of Swire Pacific, he brings with him a unique business
perspective, which will undoubtedly be of immense value to us as
we move to develop the Group further.”
News
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MV Aqua Fortune
High-Sea Rescue Operation
one yachtsman,
Michael Kunn battled
against gale force winds
and heavy swells on the Atlantic
Ocean. As the weather started to
turn two days before Christmas
2013, his 43 ft yacht started to
get into technical difficulty and
before long was being forced in
the wrong direction and, even
worse, started to take in water.
An urgent SOS was sent out.
Noble Group-owned, Hong
Kong-registered Capesize
Bulk Carrier MV Aqua Fortune,
having set sail from the port of
Nouadhibou (Mauritania) on
5 December 2013 towards China,
was only few miles away from his
yacht and quickly answered the
distress call.
All crew of the Aqua Fortune
were summoned by the master
onto the bridge to prepare for the
rescue operation in the choppy
seas. When Michael’s sailboat
was just a few hundred metres
away, a rescue line was fired. He
grabbed the line and jumped into
the water, but to the horror of
everyone on board, he let go of
the line as he was being pulled
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towards the ladder. Miraculously
he managed to get hold of a life
buoy and the ship’s staff threw a
net into the sea. They were then
able to haul him onto the bulk
carrier.
Michael Kunn was thankful
to the master and crew of Aqua
Fortune, writing in the ship’s log:
“Rescued from my disabled yacht
by the captain and crew of Aqua
Fortune who went out of their
way with several attempts before
succeeding. Have been received
well and treated like royalty.
Extremely grateful to all on board
Aqua Fortune for their kindness,
generosity and hospitality given
to me.”
Congratulations to the crew
and master of the Aqua Fortune
for their heroic efforts.
Michael Kunn with the crew
How the dramatic rescue unfolded
First Coal Mined
Opening of Cockatoo Coal’s Baralaba expansion project
ockatoo Coal has announced that its mining operation has commenced at
the Baralaba North expansion project in central Queensland, Australia. On
9 May 2014, a number of dignitaries attended the official opening of the
metallurgical coal mining operations. Cockatoo Coal’s Managing Director, Andrew
Lawson, said that the breaking of ground at Baralaba North was an important milestone
for the project.
The mine will initially ramp up to production of 1 million tonnes per annum
and, following approvals, will then increase
production to 3.5 million tonnes per annum.
Coal from the mine’s expansion will be exported
initially to Japan and Korean markets for steelmaking purposes, with future opportunities in
China, Taiwan and India.
Noble Group is one of Cockatoo Coal’s
largest shareholders. At the opening, Noble’s
Tony Garmeister, Origination Manager,
Newcastle Australia, had the opportunity to
announce Noble’s US$375,000 community fund
for Baralaba, aimed at improving education,
health and infrastructure resources within the
community.
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Deputy Premier of Queensland Hon. Jeff Seeney
with Cockatoo Coal’s Managing Director Andrew Lawson,
performing first dig of coal
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News
Concentrating
on Chrome
Noble invests in Tharisa plc
n April 2014 Noble invested US$20 million in the JSX listing of Tharisa plc as part of a
US$50 million (ZAR500 million) raising. This deal secured and leveraged our existing
three-year offtake agreement into a longer-dated marketing agency across larger tonnage
from an operating mine with competitive cash costs.
Tharisa plc owns 74% of an operating chrome concentrate/PGM mine in the Bushveld area of
South Africa. South Africa is now the world’s biggest platinum producer and holds more than 70%
of the world’s reserves of chrome, which is used to make ferrochrome, a key ingredient in stainless
steel. China overtook South Africa as the world’s biggest producer of ferrochrome in 2012.
Noble will market a minimum of 50 kt per month of export quality chrome. This will complement
our Special Ores & Alloys product offering into Chinese end-users, as well as further expand our
Special Ores & Alloys business in South Africa, based around our Johannesburg office hub.
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A Noble First
Noble Chartering breaks new ground by signing CVCC
oble Chartering Limited became the
first non-Japan Inc. shipping firm to
be granted a 15-year Consecutive
Voyage Charter Contract (CVCC) by J-Power
when the deal was signed on 16 December
2013.
In the project, J-Power will be ‘Charterers’
and Noble will be ‘Owners’ of the working
vessel. The vessel will be built in Imabari
Shipyard which is a premier shipyard in
Japan, with delivery planned for Q3 2016.
This partnership is the result of a
relationship which has grown from strength to
strength since a 2011 trial shipment. The deal
with J-Power is a step forward in firming up
our relationship with a major Japanese power
group:
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•It gives Noble an edge to enter the
Japanese market and a good chance to
make relationships with other Japanese
firms.
•It gives Noble access to and chances
to fix spot cargoes and COA offers
by J-Power.
Itaru Nakamura,
Executive Managing Officer
of J-Power, and R. Raghu,
Noble Head of Chartering
signing the deal
•It strengthens Noble’s relationship
with Imabari Shipyard.
•To be the first non-Japan Inc. CVCC
counterparty with J-Power has given
a tremendous boost to the NCL
franchise and our ability to market our
services globally.
Middle East Focus
Business development in the region
Executive Managing
Officer Itaru Nakamura
of J-Power and
Noble Group Chairman
Richard Elman
exchanging gifts
e spent much of the GSM talking about customers and we have
subsequently made sure that specific regional responsibilities
have been allocated to individuals on the Management
Committee. We want to identify key customers in growth markets and in
those markets where we should have a bigger presence, building multipoint mutually beneficial relationships.
Our first initiative was hosted by Raj Kapoor in Dubai, who oversaw
a very successful meeting for representatives from all our platforms
discussing and identifying opportunities for the Middle East North Africa
(MENA) region. Key to underpinning the discussions was comprehensive
research and quantitative data from David Cherrett, Chief Commodity
Strategist.
Internal discussions were fortified by a very well-received and
-attended client event for existing and potential regional customers. The
positive response, both in attendance and feedback, was a measure of the
desire of customers to work with us. This was a very encouraging event,
which also served as a reminder of the work that needs to be done to
become the supply chain manager of choice in all our key focus markets.
On the heels of the MENA meeting, we are currently running other
regional events and will have working business plans to develop our
customer franchise in other core development areas.
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News
High-Powered Investment
Gas energy with low emissions for the future
n February 2014, Noble Clean Fuels Limited
(NCFL) announced its acquisition of 240
shares in Watt Power Limited (WPL) an
independent power generation company established
in the UK, increasing NCFL’s shareholding in WPL
from 51% to 75%. Established in 2011, WPL aims to
develop a portfolio of small, flexible gas-fired power
stations with low emission levels. They are designed
to meet the UK government’s energy policy objectives
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Gas is affordable, reliable
and flexible and has a key
role to play in supporting
the transition to a lowcarbon economy. Modern
gas-fired power plants are
among the most efficient
forms of electricity
generation in operation
and emit at least 50%
less carbon dioxide than
existing coal-fired plant.
of security of supply and affordability and will support
the country’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
David Beaton, Noble Head of Power & Gas, Coal,
Emissions Trading Europe, emphasized the importance
of gas power for the UK and Noble: “Forecasts of
UK electricity generation margins underline the need
for new gas-fired power stations, whilst operational
running hours are projected to decrease sharply as
wind penetration increases. We believe that the market
need for new, flexible capacity will become acute by
around 2020. Noble’s investment in Watt Power secures
positions in equity and capacity in the UK generation
sector, and means we are well placed to help meet the
future electricity requirements of the UK.”
Progress Power plans to build a gas-fired power station on land located on the Eye Airfield Industrial Estate in Suffolk, UK.
If built, the Progress Power plant will generate sufficient power to supply the equivalent of 400,000 homes when required.
Subject to consultation, planning and financing, the power station would enter commercial operation in 2018
Locking into African Ore
Noble backs Sundance iron ore project
oble has signed a ten-year offtake agreement with Sundance Resources, which plans
to mine iron ore in central-west Africa. Noble has agreed to buy 100% of the iron ore
produced at the Mbalam-Nabeba iron ore project in Cameroon and the Republic of
Congo for the first ten years. The Mbalam-Nabeba project is forecast to be able to produce
35 million tonnes a year for 25 years, beginning in the Q4 2017.
Contractor Mota-Engil Africa has also now been appointed to build the US$3.5 billion port
and rail infrastructure for the project. This will include the design and construction of a
51 km rail spur line from the Nabeba Mine in the Republic of Congo to the Cameroon railway.
It also includes a 35 Mtpa deep water Mineral Terminal Facility, including stockyards, capable
of loading ‘China-max’ vessels.
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About the Mbalam-Nabeba iron ore project
•Project is based around a group of large-scale iron ore deposits spanning the border of
the republics of Cameroon and Congo.
•Mbalam-Nabeba is an integrated mine, port and rail project with target annual
production capacity of 35 Mtpa for a minimum of 25 years.
•Stage 1 (the first ten years) will be focused on producing Direct Shipping Ore-quality
high-grade haematite.
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News
A Highly Refined Partnership
Noble Americas links up with Targa Resources
oble Americas Corporation is supporting Targa
Resources’ (NYSE:NGLS) construction of a
condensate splitter at its Channelview Terminal
on the Houston Ship Channel with a long-term, fee-based
arrangement.
Joe Bob Perkins, CEO of the general partner of
Targa Resources, commented: “We are very pleased to
be working with a market leader like Noble to launch
our first condensate splitter project. We continually look
at facilities and services to support our customers, and
believe that this project will help provide a partial solution
as domestic condensate volumes continue to ramp up.”
The facility will have the capability to split about
35,000 barrels per day of condensate into its various
components, including naptha, kerosene, gas oil, jet fuel
and liquefied petroleum gas, and will provide segregated
storage for the condensate and components. The
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approximately US$15 million project is expected to be
completed about 18 months after all permits have been
obtained.
Targa will build, own and operate the facility, but
the agreement gives Noble an opportunity to supply
the condensate and crude. This in turn will allow us to
develop new and strengthen customer relationships with
key participants along the energy value chain. Noble will
also be the offtaker of the refined product to sell to endusers domestically or through export.
Jeff Frase, Noble’s Global Head of Oil Liquids
Trading, commented: “The addition of this long-term
toll to Noble’s portfolio reflects our commitment to being
involved in the ongoing shale revolution in America.
Cheap energy strengthens the position of the US Gulf
Coast as the most economically advantaged refinery
centre in the world, and the ability to process condensate
or light crudes into refined product components that we
trade as our base business will continue to help grow our
presence and profile for further client development and
activity in the US for many years.”
We are very pleased
to be working with
a market leader like
Noble to launch our
first condensate splitter
project.”
Ship Building
Noble commissions eco panamax bulk carrier
Signing the deal
Chinaplas 2014
Hands-on partnership focused on global PP supply
Noble Chartering with Imabari Shipbuilding Co
oble Chartering has
signed a newbuilding
contract with Imabari
Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. Japan for
an 88,000 deadweight Panamax
bulk carrier.
The Imabari Shipbuilding
Group is one of the top shipyards
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in Japan and ranks among
the leading international ship
builders. The deal was brokered
by Itochu Corporation. The vessel,
featuring a fuel-saving Ballast
Water Treatment System, will be
built with “EA” (Environmental
Awareness) notation.
oble Polymers division participated in another successful Chinaplas exhibition at the
Shanghai International Expo Centre in late April 2014. This four-day event is Asia’s largest
meeting and business platform for the plastics and rubber industry. It attracts over 130,000
visitors, with 3,000 exhibitors from around the globe showcasing their products. Eric Koh, Vice
President of Noble Polymers, commented that “Chinaplas is not only a great platform to grow our
China business but also provides us with opportunities to grow our other markets globally.”
This year, with our partner NATPET, Noble decided to change the aesthetic of our booth by
incorporating a more streamlined look that reflects our partnership. The Noble/ NATPET booth
really stood out amongst the crowd. Eric noted that “This year we had a lot more potential customers
from different countries visiting our booth and showing great interest in our products. With our
partner NATPET, we will be focusing on these new areas to increase our sales together.”
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News
7
Mongolia Mine Commissioned
ollowing Noble’s
US$22 million funding
agreement and
completion of the 98-kilometre
haul road connecting the BNU
mine in Mongolia to the coal
distribution hub, ASX-listed
Guildford Coal continues to make
significant progress. Guildford
Coal’s Baruun Noyon Uul (BNU)
mine, formerly North Pit, has
been successfully and formally
commissioned for operations
and sales by the Mongolian
government. This is
a key development milestone
that enables the BNU mine to
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extract coal in preparation for
its first sale.
Through its shareholding in
Terra Energy LLC, Guildford has
an equity share in a number of
tenements located in the South
Gobi Province (Umnigovi Aimag)
of Mongolia. Two of these are
waiting final permitting of the
coal transport company that will
deliver first sales of coking and
coal to Chinese customers.
At the mine, the boxcut has
been progressively excavated to
expose coal in preparation for
production ramp-up during the
current quarter. Infrastructure
required for the initial phase
of mining was established
during the second half of 2013
including ROM, weighbridge
infrastructure, foundations and
building structures for the heavy
equipment workshop. The onsite
coal-testing laboratory was also
commissioned.
Noble and Guildford will
continue to work together on
potential opportunities for
major coking coal development
and expansion in the South
Gobi region.
Bankers Meeting
Building partnerships with our banks
elationships are vital to the growth and development of Noble. The key to
success is building associations that go beyond onetime interactions but provide
value on an ongoing basis. Establishing and maintaining a strong working
relationship requires communication, mutual understanding and commitment, none more
so than with our financing partners. It was with this in mind that Noble hosted a Bankers
Meeting at the Rosewood Hotel, London, in late April 2014. The two-day
event brought together Noble’s senior management, including Chairman
Richard Elman and CEO Yusuf Alireza, and 100 of our top bankers from
around the world.
The Bankers Meeting, through presentations from Noble management,
gave our financing partners an opportunity to get to know our current
business and strategies. Yusuf emphasized the importance of moving
towards a partnership model, where our bankers understand our objectives
well enough to be able to anticipate our business needs and strengthen our
interactions in a way that is mutually beneficial.
The meeting was also important to build on long-term relations and
foster new ones. A dinner was hosted at a stunning London restaurant
located in a former parish hall. Guests were entertained with incredible
stunts from a street magician, with many analytical minds frustrated trying
to work out how the tricks were done. The next day people were up early
for an activities day at Luton Hoo, outside London. Golf and clay pigeon
shooting gave individuals a chance to show their more competitive side, as
well as being a fun way to thank our bankers for their support over the years.
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Customer Initiative
Gaining new business opportunities around the world
oble has allocated key members of our Management Committee and other regional
executives to focus on strategic regions and countries. We want to identify key
customers in growth markets and in those markets where we should have a bigger
presence. Management will be responsible for the relationships, strategy and execution of
these efforts, in their allocated geographies. These additional resources will allow us to be
customer focused as we map out key suppliers and customers and position Noble as the
partner of choice to manage their supply chain. By the very nature of our global business,
there are dozens of other countries, not mentioned, that are important to Noble’s business:
this list will be a constant work in progress.
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Our banking partners on the
green in south-east England
Management Committee Regional Focus
• North America and Mexico – Jeff Frase, Global Head of Oil Liquids Trading
• South America – José Luiz Glaser, CEO, Noble Agri
• MENA/CIS – Yusuf Alireza, CEO
• Africa (SS) – Will Randall, Head of Hard Commodities
• India – Yusuf Alireza, CEO
• Western Russia/Eastern Europe – Gareth Griffiths, Global Head of Power & Gas
• Eastern Russia – Will Randall, Head of Hard Commodities
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News
FT Summit
Welcome drinks at the beautiful Beau-Rivage Palace
Bringing the world of commodities together
he Financial Times’
third annual Global
Commodities Summit
took place in Lausanne,
Switzerland, at the start of April
2014. An impressive who’s
who of the global commodities
trading world was in attendance.
This year’s summit focused on
the global economy, the role
of Russia and Central Asia in
commodities, transparency and
regulation, commodity trade
finance, among other topics.
Noble initiated proceedings
by hosting the welcome
drinks reception. One of the
highlights of the conference
was the flagship ‘CEOs Debate’.
This talk gathered six chief
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executives, including Noble’s CEO
Yusuf Alireza, from the world’s
largest commodity traders to
candidly analyse the future of the
industry. While discussing business
models, Yusuf emphasized Noble’s
strengths: “None of us should be
arrogant to assume one model is
right and one model is wrong…
from a Noble perspective, our core
competence is in the middle part
of the supply chain… We are not
miners, we are not farmers. We are
not a bank.”
The summit was well
received, showcasing informative
presentations and discussions,
as well as providing excellent
networking opportunities.
CEOs Debate included
Noble’s CEO Yusuf Alireza
Getting to
Know the Dayaks
ommunity development work including cultural
heritage conservation is central to Noble Foundation.
The Foundation has been supporting a project to
preserve the local traditions and customs of the Dayak tribe,
the indigenous community living on Kalimantan Island,
Indonesia, close to Noble-operated mines. Through hard work
and support from the community, including village elders and
the local government, the ethnological study Getting to Know
the Dayaks has been completed. The book records the culture,
folktales and origins of the four Dayak tribes: the Lawangan,
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Tueh ambung, tueh ayau, tueh kulat ngandrei
watang (Mature due to the praise, mature
due to the age, mature due to the surrounding
circumstance) – Dayak Ma’anyan proverb
the Ma’anyan, the Bakumpai and the Biaju. This is the first time
that many of these tales have been documented. The book
has been printed in six languages; English, Indonesian and
four local Dayak dialects. Printing the book in the local Dayak
languages was an important step towards preserving the native
languages, which, like others, are at risk of extinction.
The book introduces outsiders to the richness of the
Dayaks’ culture through the many stories and traditions that
were previously passed down only by word of mouth. The book
preserves local customs for future generations.
Safety Talks
Rondonopolis’s factory holds first SIPATMA
he first SIPATMA (acronym
in Portuguese for Week of
Occupational Accident Prevention
and Environment) took place in Rondonopolis,
Brazil, in early February 2014. The week
consisted of lectures and workshops to help
make teams more vigilant on safety matters
and help make the work environment safer for
all. More education and increased awareness
are, collectively, a big step towards making
Rondonopolis an accident-free zone.
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Employees learning abo
ut safety awareness
Awards
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Double Top
Records broken for both loading and unloading at Timbúes
imbúes hit two loading records in April 2014. Firstly they achieved a volume loading
record of 12,390 tons (2065 tons/hour) on the ship ER Brest. This was soon followed by
an unloading of trucks record reaching 988 trucks in a day, surpassing the old record
of 850 trucks. Exceeding an average of 40 trucks/hour with three unloading platforms is not a
simple task and shows the hard work and commitment of the teams.
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Working towards zero accidents
Accident Free
Terminal 12A completes one year without
lost-time accidents
n April 2014, Terminal 12A completed one year without lost-time
accidents. This achievement is confirmation that the unit is moving
in the right direction in its mission for zero accidents.
According to Jorge Antônio da Cunha Boal, manager of the terminal, this
accomplishment was due to leadership and discipline. “This is a reflection
of the excellent work of the CPATP (Commission for the Prevention of
Accidents in Port Work), a safety and leadership area of the terminal: culture
change, implementing standards and procedures and, above all, commitment
of staff. I reiterate my congratulations and now onto a new record.”
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Gallantry at Sea Award
Masters recognized at the 51st National Maritime Day Celebration
ot one but two ship
masters from Noble
vessels were awarded
the prestigious gallantry award at
the 51st National Maritime Day
Celebration, held on 5 April 2014.
Capt. Shirish Kulkarni was
awarded the gallantry award
for commanding his team and
coordinating the efficient team
work that was displayed by the
entire crew of Noble-owned MV
Ocean Emerald after sighting a red
flare from sinking yacht Barbara
off Brazilian/Argentinean shores.
Capt. Y. S. Mathur
was recognized for his
accomplishment and leadership
displayed in commanding his
team on board Noble-owned
Aqua Fortune, while carrying
out a rescue operation off South
Africa.
Both rescues took place in
rough and dangerous weather
conditions and were awarded for
N
outstanding courage, disregard
for personal safety and absence
of any personal or selfish motives
of the masters and their crews.
These awards recognise the
bravery of these rescues that
ultimately saved people’s lives.
Capt. Shirish Kulkarni (right)
also accepting his award
Capt. Y. S. Mathur (right)
accepting his award
10
CSR
Recycling
for Schools
in Uruguay
oble Uruguay has shown its support for a civil organisation
called Repapel, which is dedicated to environmental
awareness. Repapel annually collects over 500,000 kg
of paper from individuals and offices, including the Noble office in
Montevideo, for recycling. They are then able to produce notebooks,
A4 paper and even toilet paper for underfunded local schools.
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Recycling office paper into useful items for schools
Health Week
Education and Prevention
oble’s Brazil Health
Week was held between
7 - 11 April 2014.
The aim of this week was to help
improve the health of Noble
employees and educate people
on possible diagnostics and
preventive actions.
The programme, named
Circuitos de Saúde (Health
Circuits), involved various health
checks carried out at the mills,
Votuporanga’s terminal and the
Rodonopolis factory and
in the offices in Rio Preto and
São Paulo.
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More than 2600 employees
had medical examinations
including body mass index, blood
pressure, blood glucose and tests
for anaemia. Educational leaflets
were also handed out.
Paulo Kronka,
superintendent of the
sugar mills, taking part
in Health Circuits
Tackling Malnutrition
Noble Foundation builds a school canteen in Colombia
oble Foundation has funded a
project to help provide adequate
infrastructure and necessary
equipment to prepare healthy meals at a
junior school in a coffee community of
Colombia. The conditions of economic
and social poverty that exist in these
areas increase the poor nutrition and bad
eating habits that often lead to ill health.
By helping to address, as a priority, the
nutrition of students from poor households,
Noble Foundation hopes to improve their
well-being and education. Noble worked
directly with the school to build a cantina
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and our local office oversaw the project and
expenses.
On 8 March 2014, Noble representatives
as well as local municipality and education
officials were at the school to inaugurate
the cantina.
A name plaque recognizing Noble’s
funding was erected. After the ceremony,
time was spent playing football with the
children. Noble Foundation has committed
further funding to the school to drive
further improvements – namely, in sanitary
conditions, playgrounds and classrooms.
Coffee team: Luis Fernando Esteves (Brazil),
Cliserio González Hernández (Colombia),
Michael Von Luehrte (Geneva),
Manuel Rueda (Colombia)
CSR
11
Charging Ahead
Ten years of SGX’s Bull Charge charity
ince its conception ten years
ago, Noble has been a proud
sponsor of the SGX Bull Charge
charity helping underprivileged groups
in Singapore, including children, youth,
the elderly and families. The tenth
anniversary of the SGX’s Bull
Charge charity run raised more
than S$3 million, doubling
the amount raised in past
years. On 22 November 2013, 60
runners from Noble Singapore
joined the run at The Float
at Marina Bay. During the
S
Neil Dhar, Co-Head,
Hard Commodities, accepting the award
event, Singapore President Tony Tan
presented bull figurines hand-painted
by beneficiaries to the six Diamond
sponsors of The Bull Charge, including
Neil Dhar, Co-Head of Hards.
As part of the Bull Charge initiative,
28 volunteers from Noble Singapore took
100 children from Fei Yue Community
Services to the S.E.A. Aquarium at
Resorts World Sentosa and spent the day
with them. This programme is organised
by SGX with charities to help the needy
and underprivileged groups feel more
connected with society.
Christmas
Jumper Day
ondon office took part in Save the Children’s Christmas
Jumper Day on Friday, 13 December 2013. Donations
were made by all who chose to wear a festive jumper
and penalty donations by those who chose not to! A total of £610
was raised on the day.
Save the Children is an international non-government
organisation that promotes children’s rights and provides
support for children in developing countries, as well as providing
emergency aid in natural disasters, war and other conflicts.
L
Bipul Jha (IT),
Janet Perreca (Facilities),
Melvin DaRosa (Facilities),
Joshua Bailey (Finance),
Rana Mizher (IT)
Janet Perreca (Facilities),
Ryan Dunn (Executive Assistant)
Bert Littlejohn, Program Director at
Family Ties of Westchester, presenting
Noble’s Jeremiah Patterson (HR)
with a holiday card for our Stamford
employees
The Giving Tree
Supporting holiday wishes for children in need
n Thursday, 21 November 2013, Noble
Stamford hosted its annual Thanksgiving
lunch for employees.
At this year’s luncheon, the newly formed Noble
Women’s Group kicked off their first official event.
Noble partnered with Family Ties of Westchester,
an organisation that provides support and advocacy
services to families in times of crisis. During the
Thanksgiving lunch, a “Giving Tree” was displayed
on which nearly 100 holiday wishes were placed
with a child’s name on each of the leaves. Employees
were able to select a leaf and were asked to return a
wrapped item to the office in early December.
The show of support from all at Stamford was
truly heart-warming, and additional “wishes” had
O
to be requested as they ran out within the first 20
minutes of the event.
On 13 December, Noble employees gathered their
gifts wrapped in festive decoration and proceeded to
Family Ties in a giving caravan of cars packed full of
presents. We also had a few employees who included
local grocery store gift certificates for Family Ties to
share with needy families during the holidays.
The staff at Family Ties were visibly touched
by the show of generosity of our employees and
presented Noble with a beautiful holiday card as a
token of their appreciation. We look forward to
the Giving Tree becoming an annual tradition at
Noble in Stamford!
Noble Finance London chose to wear and not to wear a festive jumper
- but all contributed to a good cause!
12
CSR/Events
Rally for South African Children
hen Henoe Stoffberg from our Stellenbosch office in South Africa wrote to
Noble Foundation asking for sponsorship for the forthcoming half Ironman
on behalf of two local charities, they jumped at the chance. Not only was the
Foundation able to support a Noble colleague in a gruelling physical challenge but there
would also be a significant and lasting impact on two community projects that benefited
children. Both initiatives were located in disadvantaged communities in the Stellenbosch
area near the Noble office. The first project Noble supported was a food programme for
nursery children at Akkerdoppies Preschool. The food programme ensured that the young
children got a healthy breakfast and lunch each day and a quality preschool education.
W
Noble Foundation also supported a training camp for 60 Kayamandi teenagers from
the Legacy Community Development programme. This after-school programme is
aimed at encouraging school attendance and giving youths self-confidence and a sense
of identity.
Henoe completed the half Ironman in early 2014. Despite the demanding challenge
of a 1.9-km swim followed by a 90-km bike ride and then a 21.1-km run, he completed
the triathlon in just over six hours.
ft) and his racing
A visit to the Legacy Community centre with Noble’s jerseys
Henoe Stoffberg (le
Noble London’s First Annual
Children’s Christmas Party
he London office started a new tradition in 2013 by holding its First Annual Children’s Christmas party,
sponsoring two special local children’s charities: Great Ormond Street Hospital and Kids Company.
In spite of an extreme weather warning, parents and children alike pitched in to share in the fun,
laughter and excitement of the day, entertained by a marvelous troupe of talented performers, including a magician,
Christmas fairy and brilliant facepainters. Activities included balloon modelling, limbo dancing, Follow my Leader,
Pass the Parcel, cookie decorating, and writing Christmas card messages for the kids at Great Ormond Street
Hospital. Polaroid pictures of special moments were captured courtesy of cameraman Jonathan Fitzgerald (EMEACredit) and a surprise visit from Father Christmas (we’ll keep that a secret for next year!) topped off the magical day
with each child receiving a personalised Christmas party bag. Our thanks to all the attendees!
T
Great Ormond Street Hospital
Great Ormond Street is one of the world’s leading children’s hospitals.
Money raised by the Great Ormond Street Children’s Charity enables the
hospital to provide world-class care and to pioneer new treatments and cures
for childhood illnesses.
Kids Company
Kids Company provide practical, emotional and educational support to
vulnerable inner-city children across London and Bristol.
team
Events
13
Mill River Park
Urban renewal in Stamford
oble Stamford showed its support for Mill River Park and Greenway,
a revitalization effort in downtown Stamford. The project is turning
a desolated piece of land into a haven for plants and wildlife, as well
as for the city’s residents. A dinner was held to celebrate the project’s
achievements so far and to raise awareness and funding to complete the park
in the coming years.
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Noble Table: (From left to right: Noble employees with their partners)
Jeremiah Patterson (HR), Kelly Bezas (Oil), Bernardo Rodrigues (Sugar),
David Behrends (Coffee), Andrea Valerio (Oil)
Marathon Madness
Hong Kong
n Sunday 16 February 2014, 13 colleagues from the Hong Kong
office took part in the 2014 Standard Chartered Hong Kong
Marathon, in the full marathon, half marathon and
10 k runs. Special mention goes to Tim Eyre, Legal, on his
maiden marathon, who ran the 42 km in an impressive
4 hours 8 minutes.
As part of the marathon, CEO Yusuf Alireza also took
part in the Leaders Cup, a 1.8 km charity race featuring many
of Hong Kong’s most prominent business and community
leaders. This competitive yet fun-spirited race was dominated
by Yusuf who came in a tremendous second, just moments
after the winner, a well-seasoned marathon runner who has
Veteran runner Desikan Bhoovarahan (Insurance)
won the Leaders Cup for three consecutive years.
O
3 hours 54 min with newbie runner Tim Eyre (Legal)
Lawrence Yu (IT) recorded
an impressive time of 3 hours 29
min
Geneva
Delhi
What started as lunchtime runs in a bid to stay fit ended in 14 colleagues from
the Geneva office taking part in the Geneva Half Marathon. The Noble team
raised over US$2,000 for Theodora, a charity that sends “Giggle Doctors” to
hospitals to bring fun and laughter to sick children. On Sunday, 4 May 2014,
despite the windy conditions, Team Noble took off along the urban route beside
Lake Geneva. Their overall combined time was 24 hours 37 minutes, smashing
their expected time of 25 hours 50 minutes.
More than 55,000 participants comprising both professional and amateur
runners took part in the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon Run on 15 December 2013.
Nine Noble runners completed the 6 km Dream Run thanks to all the cheering
and support they received along the way.
(From left to right) Top: Francois Ricard (IT), Rodolphe Tribolet (Grains & Oilseeds),
Charlie Watson (CSR), Anthony Clark (Tax), Alistair Davis (Cocoa),
Tom Ravenscroft (Chartering), Joe Feghali (Chartering), Tobias Dean (Chartering)
Bottom: Herisoa Andriambeloson (Finance), Clément Galvier (Finance),
Tetsuya Watanabe (Grains & Oilseeds)
Noble’s Dream Team included Neha Gupta (Finance), Deepak Jain (Finance),
Ankit Shaheer (Sugar), Rishabh Hasija (Research), Prashant Sarnaik (Research),
Dheeraj Singh (Admin), Pankaj Narang (CEF), Siddhartha Maini (HR),
Sanjay Rana (IT)
14
Events
Batting to Win
Bowl Final: Managers1 89/2 beat Brokers 65/2 by 24 runs
Plate Final: Bankers 105/0 beat Managers2 72/1 by 33 runs
Cup Final: Cobras 129/2 beat Surveyors 83/5 by 46 runs
Twelfth annual Cricket Sixes
oble hosted the twelfth annual Cricket Sixes on a sunny weekend in December
at the Kowloon Cricket Club. Twelve teams consisting of colleagues and
industry friends battled to win the title. However, as in previous years, it was
the young South African Cobras who dominated the weekend, coming out victorious
against the Surveyors in the finals. The Cobras are sponsored by Noble to come to play
in the Cricket Sixes, as part of a project that helps the youngsters develop sports and
social skills. This year there was a philanthropic side to the weekend and money was
raised for the Sailors Society in a live and silent auction.
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Cobras
African spirit: The
ditional dance
tra
a
th
wi
celebrated
Noble Dragons
Sowing the Seeds
Blessings for a good crop harvest
eeping with tradition, Noble’s sugar mills
in Brazil held services to celebrate the start
of the harvest at the end of March 2014.
The ceremonies were opened with words from the
Industrial Director, Luiz Fabiano de Azevedo, and
Agricultural Director Fabiano Morsoleto de Pontes,
K
accompanied by their respective managers,
while the closing speech was given by sugar mills
Superintendent, Paulo Kronka. A blessing was
also given by local priests from the communities
surrounding the plants.
Events
Women’s Day
International Women’s Day is celebrated with
a special breakfast across Noble Brazil operations
Noble Day
Argentina and Paraguay
oble Day brings
together people from
the offices and assets
around Argentina, so they can
meet face to face, building
stronger relationships and
strengthening the Noble culture
and their communications skills.
The 2013 party was organised
at a recreation park in the
countryside near the Timbúes
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Complex. People enjoyed singing
and dancing as well as some
rather wet, yet competitive, team
games.
Noble Paraguay also held their
first ever Noble Day, which took
place in a recreation park near
their office of Ciudad del Este.
People had a great day together
competing in games and enjoying
a festive meal.
Celebrating
Achievement
High performance teamwork recognised with long-service awards
Bhim Pun (Admin) and Kathy Tse (Operations) receiving their certificates celebrating 20 years of service
in Hong Kong from Chairman Richard Elman
Getting wet at Noble Day Argentina
Uruguay (Grains & Oilseeds): (left to right)
Christian Bolz, Gabriela Antelo, Veronica Pereira
and Fernando Almada
19 colleagues in Vietnam with their awards
celebrating 10 years of service
Paraguay celebrating their first Noble Day
Indonesia – Zainal Abidin
Indonesia – Mohammand Eridianto
15
16
People
David Huck
MD, Pacific Northwest Natural Gas Trading, Calgary
Q: Noble Calgary is one of our smallest
offices, yet has a big impact. Tell us a bit
about it.
A: We are only five people in the office, each with about
18 years’ experience. In less than five years we have
built a business where we move nearly 10% of the
natural gas in western Canada that goes west down to
the Pacific Northwest and California. As well we are
moving volumes to customers in Eastern Canada and
we are hoping soon to be involved with exports of LNG
off the coast to Hawaii and Asia ... fingers crossed. We
are contracted with almost all the largest producers
in Canada and continue to grow volumes and profits.
Growing a business has been fun for all of us, and Noble
has been very supportive.
Q: We heard that you have adopted two
children. What made you want to adopt?
A: We already had two kids when we looked at adoption,
and when I say “we”, I mean when my beautiful wife
brought up adoption. We were always in the 3-to-4kids camp and, with the world population at 7 billion,
adoption seemed like a great way to stay within our
means.
Q: You adopted from Africa. Why?
A: Africa was in the middle of the HIV epidemic and
there were many kids without parents, so we decided that
it was the area most in need of mediocre white Canadian
parents. Once again, when I say “we”, I am referring
Noble World is produced for Noble Group by Graphicat Limited. All rights reserved.
This publication may not be sold. No part of this publication may be otherwise
reproduced, adapted, performed in public or transmitted in any form by any process
without prior authorisation of Noble Group. © Noble Group, 2014.
mainly to the senior decision-making member of our
household! She did all the research and paperwork.
Q: How was your experience adopting
from Africa?
A: We had an extremely difficult time regarding the
adoption process from Africa. Specifically, when
we first went through the process adopting two
kids from Sierra Leone. The Canadian international
adoption agency we were dealing through had never
worked with anyone from Sierra Leone, and this was
just at the finish of their civil war. The “orphanage”
that we were lined up with did not exist and the
children whom my wife had made pillow cases for
with family pictures, etc., they may or may not have
been orphans. We ended the trip (a) at the Interpol
office accusing a man of child smuggling and
(b) dropping stuff off at an orphanage run by a
couple who were from the Calgary area.
After returning to Calgary, we were contacted
by the couple running the orphanage. They had a
newborn there ... were we interested? A year later,
and after difficult legal wrangling, we got on a
plane out of Freetown to Ghana with our extremely
chubby orphan who is now the cutest nine-year-old
ever. Funny, and as my one buddy stated, “He has
more style in his little finger than you and I have ever
had in our entire lives.” The kid is cool.
Our other daughter is Ethiopian-born. She
became part of our family when she was six, and
Magnum Opus Awards
Honorable Mention:
Best All Around
Employee Publication
aside from general administrative delays, the process
was relatively easy, though it still took nearly two
years. Our whole family and a friend went over to
pick her up and it was a great experience for the
kids and likely a much gentler way for our Ethiopian
princess to meet her new siblings and parents. She
has grown into an extremely pleasant young lady
with a big heart and a warm smile.
Q: You sound like you have a wonderful
family. What are your favourite things to
do as a family?
We live at ice rinks, gyms, homework tables and, in
the summer, pitches and beaches. Sports, homework,
socialize with family and friends, vacation/travel.
By time spent, our favourite thing to do is to drive
to kids’ sports, coach kids’ sports, watch kids’ sports
and organise kids’ sports! Four extremely active/
over- scheduled kids (hockey, ringette, basketball,
soccer, rugby, volleyball, snow skiing, water skiing,
etc.). We used to be avid travellers (I signed up with
Noble over a fax machine in Kathmandu) and the
kids have been to Europe, Africa, Asia and all over
North America. We stay involved with the Ethiopian
community here in Calgary as well as a couple of
well-run Canadian charities with African/South-east
Asian ties.
Every family has a story and that’s ours.
We’re very lucky and that is all you can say about
our family.
TÜV Nord
Certified:
Carbon Neutral
Company
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16
Hatched and Matched
Hatched and Matched
Welcoming births and marriages from all across the world of Noble
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1 Otto Roddy James Banks, son of
Steven Banks, Power & Gas, London, was
born 25 July 2013
11 Isabella, daughter of Gabriel Scabuso,
Special Storages, Timbúes, Argentina,
was born 10 April 2014
20 Felipe Marques de Oliveira, son of Felipe
Marques de Oliveira, Catanduva plant,
Brazil, was born 6 February 2014
2 Diana, daughter of Raúl Oviedo, Logistics,
Paraguay, was born 9 September 2013
12 Aaron, son of Reina Ortiz, Finance,
Paraguay, was born 11 April 2014
3 Sofía, daughter of Lorena Vásquez, IT,
Argentina, was born 7 September 2013
13 Eugenia, daughter of Hugo Felipe,
Port Operator, Timbúes, Argentina,
was born 12 April 2014
21 Gabriel F. Ferrareis do Carmo, son of
William Ferreira do Carmo, Sebastianópolis
plant, Brazil, was born 30 January 2014
4 Verónica, daughter of Marysol de la Cruz,
Admin, Colombia, was born
1 November 2013
5 Hilario, son of Margarita Escuder, HR,
Argentina, was born 12 December 2013
6 Theo Jude Priest, son of Adam Priest,
Treasury, London, was born
3 December 2013
14 Malena, daughter of Guillermo Luján,
Quality Control, Lima, Argentina, was
born 7 May 2014
15 Anshika Negi, daughter of Dilbeer Negi,
Finance, India, was born 7 June 2013
16 Arnav, son of Pankaj Mulatkar, Grains,
India, was born 18 September 2013
7 Charlotte Younger, daughter of Ryan
Younger, Polymers, Singapore, was
born 16 January 2014
17 Munaga Devansh Gupta, son of
Srinivas Munaga, Research, India, was
born 18 October 2013
8 Jazmín, daughter of Martín Cellini,
Dispatch & Handling, Timbúes, Argentina,
was born 22 March 2014
18 Alice Schiavo Kibayashi, daughter
of Mitsuo Bille do Amorim Kibayashi,
Meridiano plant, Brazil, was born
23 September 2013
9 Delfina, daughter of Ciro Caló,
Quality Control, Timbúes, Argentina,
was born 4 February 2014
10 Luisina, daughter of Marianela Poggi,
Laboratory, Timbúes, Argentina,
was born 12 February 2014
19 Brayan Moreno, son of Odair Aparecido
Moreno, Catanduva Plant, Brazil, was
born 3 March 2014
22 Gabrieli França da Silva, daughter of
Maxilaine de Assis França e Leandro
Santana da Silva, Potirendaba plant, Brazil,
was born 15 June 2013
35
28 Lorena Vitória Ferreira dos Santos,
daughter of José Vandei dos Santos,
Potirendaba plant, Brazil, was born
16 February 2014
29 Luiz Fernando dos Santos Rodrigues, son of
Victor Rodrigues da Silva, Sebastianópolis
plant, Brazil, was born 6 September 2013
30 Maria Luiza Meneguetti, daughter of
Michel Luiz da S. Meneguetti, Potirendaba
plant, Brazil, was born 27 December 2013
23 Gustavo Freitas Bizzetto, son of
Marco Aurelio Bizzetto, IT, Brazil, was
born 27 September 2013
31 Rebeca Fernandes Thomaz, daughter of
Luiz Carlos Thomaz, Catanduva plant,
Brazil, was born 23 March 2014
24 Heitor Leal Micheles da Silva, son of Rafael
Martins Micheles da Silva, Rondonópolis
Crushing Plant, Brazil, was born
17 January 2014
32 Sophia Naomi Oshiro, daughter of Rodrigo
Moro F. da Costa Oshiro, Catanduva plant,
Brazil, was born 23 September 2013
25 Hernan Olyver B. Paraíso, son of Josevando
da Silva Paraíso, Catanduva Plant, Brazil,
was born 20 February 2014
26 Isabella Albergoni Lima, daughter of
Ludiane Albergoni, Meridiano plant,
Brazil, was born 22 January 2014
27 Isabelly Vitória Dancona, daughter of
Edvam Celso Dancona, Catanduva plant,
Brazil, was born 14 October 2013
33 Stella de Mello Santos Rondino, daughter
of Ricardo Luiz Caetano Rondino, Legal,
Brazil, was born 7 November 2013
34 Tate Chu, son of Terry Lai, Corporate
Affairs, Hong Kong, was born 12 May 2014
35 María Florencia Oppido, Finance, Uruguay,
married Federico Morgade 4 April 2014
nobleoutreach
Noble Group in the Community
Ensuring the local community benefits from our activities
N
A
LI
RA
ST
AU
Cultural Heritage Matters
JUNE 2014
Issue 8
oble’s Territory Resources iron ore
mining operation is located 200
kilometres south of Darwin in the
Northern Territory of Australia. The mining
operation lies on the western margins of the
Jawoyn people’s traditional lands and has
consistently operated under a strong ethos of
community engagement and development.
Indigenous Engagement
Our operation is regarded as industry-
leading, with a 20% indigenous participation
rate (comparative industry ratio: 5-10%) and
a policy to prioritise local recruitment. Every
year, we provide up to 20 young Aboriginal
Australians with mining skills trainee
programmes and long-term employment
opportunities upon graduation.
Equal Opportunity
Women comprise 23% of the workforce,
ity to
commun
tage
ith local
ri
w
e
h
ly
d
se
n
o
cl
culture a
Working
protect
ranging from management to skilled
production operators. To promote workforce
integration, every employee on site is trained
and mentored on cultural awareness. Our
business impacts several thousand people
each year to manage the relationships with
through employee families and more than
Jawoyn Traditional Owners. Regular meetings
80 local businesses that supply goods and
with Traditional Owners and the Native Title
services.
statutory authority provide an open platform
A community liaison committee is elected
to align business practices with needs and
Cultural Heritage and
expectations.
Relationships Management
Over the past six years, our cultural
heritage management programme has
contributed to almost 10% of recorded
archaeological sites in the Northern Territory.
The programme has been designed to
couple the statutory heritage requirements
with a culturally sensitive workforce entry
platform, fostering a respectful and enduring
relationship between Traditional Owners and
our mining operation.
Above: Recording a
Jawoyn stone artefact at
an archaeological site
2
Striving to be a responsible corporate citizen
I
AY
U
G
RA
PA
Contributing to Public Service
n Paraguay, we have worked actively with
the community in the areas of education,
health and nutrition since acquiring the
grains silos in 2012. These efforts include financial
support and assistance to two schools and a home
for children orphaned by AIDS, as well as a care
house for the elderly. To expand our support, we
are currently identifying the needs of a number of
health centres and rural schools in Corpus Christi
and Troncal 3.
With limited state resources for public
services, Noble also supports the National
Police and Volunteer Fire Department
through donations and fuel vouchers.
Left: Underprivileged children receive
tutoring and nutritious meals in our
school programme
Centre: Noble provided construction
materials for a school renovation in
Encarnación
CDP: Noble Top Score
A transparent approach on climate change strategy
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oble was awarded the “Best Disclosure Score”
The score was based on data transparency and
in the Hong Kong and South East Asia region
a solid foundation of addressing climate change and
in the 2013 Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP).
managing the Group’s carbon emissions. Noble has been
Noble scored 99 out of 100 points for climate information
a Carbon Disclosure Leader (Asia ex-Japan) for the last
disclosure, a rise from 92 out of 100 points compared to
three years.
the previous years.
CDP, a not-for-profit organisation, works with 767 institutional
investors holding US$92 trillion in assets to collate and monitor
carbon emissions from major corporations. Its aim is to ensure
that an effective carbon reduction strategy is central to businesses’
contribution to tackle climate change.
3
& O
SA C
U EXI
M
Biodiversity Hotspot
Ongoing conservation activities in El Carmen
Five drinking holes were installed
to improve water supplies for wildlife
El Carmen’s firefighters are well prepared to protect the reserve
S
ince 2012, Noble has been involved in a five-year biodiversity and conservation
programme in El Carmen, a nature reserve located along the border between
Mexico and the United States. El Carmen, which is considered one of the world’s
greatest wilderness ecosystems, is home to more than 500 species of plants and over 300
species of animals. Many of the key wildlife populations are regularly tracked and counted in
surveys to maintain their size.
An essential part of the work in the area is habitat conservation and restoration. In 2013
five drinking holes were installed over 6,000 hectares, providing alternative sources of water for
many animals including mule deer. Preventing wildfires is another focus in El Carmen. Training
The population of mule deer
was counted in the wildlife survey
workshops were held and a helicopter landing zone identified in case of wildfires.
Experience Hong Kong
Annual outdoor activities supported by the Noble Foundation
The Big Bird Race is WWF-Hong Kong’s longest-running event
to raise funds for the Mai Po reserve. This year marks its
30th anniversary, and it attracted professional bird-watchers
from overseas to take part.
Very Hong Kong – the city’s first independent programme
The winning team recorded
to celebrate Hong Kong’s unique culture and heritage – was
an impressive 160 bird species.
successfully held in December 2013. Through a series of
innovative events, art workshops, concerts and film showings,
the city’s residents were invited to rediscover the pleasure
offered by open spaces.
4
Engaging Noble People
Bringing people together in strong and caring communities
Getting to know Kids
Company at a
Lunch and Learn in the
London office
in underprivileged townships located close
to the Noble office. The Noble Foundation
was impressed by the initiatives’ long-lasting
impact on the communities and was also
encouraged by Henoe’s efforts to do a half
Ironman for these causes.
ing on
bosch: We are go
Teens in Stellen
year
is
th
r
be
to
a camp in Oc
Tim Fallowfield in the London office has
personally been involved with the activities
of Kids Company for many years. This
number of Noble’s charity
hospital in China. The programme hopes
charity specializes in providing counselling
initiatives are led by our employees,
to raise the education level and welfare of
and education services for deprived and
who identify where help is needed
students in this relatively poor area of the
at-risk children. Noble donated funds towards
most in their local community. They volunteer
country.
providing 5,000 nutritious meals for the
their own time and resources and inspire
organisation. In November 2013, we invited
others to share their vision. Through the
office, South Africa, took part in a half
Kids Company to give a presentation in a
Noble Foundation, we mobilise resources
Ironman triathlon for charity. As a part of
Lunch and Learn. This opportunity allowed
to support the projects that are closest to
his fundraising efforts, he requested the
Noble colleagues in London to learn more
people’s hearts.
Noble Foundation support two initiatives
about the charity.
A
Henoe Stoffberg in the Stellenbosch
Alongside being a Director at Noble,
Ambassador Burton Levin
is also a professor at
Noble Foundation – Details of Funding Applications
Carleton College,
USA. He requested
funding for a
programme to send
Charity proposals and Noble Foundation’s policies and procedures can be found on the
homepage of the WeAreNoble Intranet or email [email protected].
recent graduates
Applications for new Charity Foundation initiatives should include a recent set of audited
to support English
financial statements. All projects in which Noble gets involved will be reviewed and
language learning among teachers and
approved by the CSR Advisory Committee.
students of Fenyang middle school and
Noble outreach is produced for Noble Group by
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may not be sold. No part of this publication may be
otherwise reproduced, adapted, performed in public or
transmitted in any form by any process without prior
authorisation of Noble Group. © Noble Group, 2014.
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