There have been many studies on why it makes good business sense to have more women leaders and company board members. Notably, profit margins can be higher and, most importantly, diverse and inclusive workplaces generally have a stronger safety-first culture. We take this opportunity to both congratulate Amy Lamb, MMG’s Head of Processing, for her 2022 appointment to the board of the Australasian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy (AusIMM) and to learn more about Amy’s career pathway, inspiring others to follow in her steps.

Congratulations Amy! Can you share how you took the leap from your technical, operations and strategy roles to a peak body board position, with AusIMM supporting resources’ people in 110 countries?

Thank you.  It is an honour to have been elected to the board by the AusIMM membership.  I’m not sure I would call it a leap, rather a steady progression and growth.  I started my career in Operations where I learned about the technical and operational aspects of the business.  But, more importantly learned that working together across multiple disciplines and organisational levels is the key to success; understanding how a business creates value holistically rather than locally.

Moving into corporate roles afforded me the opportunity to apply those skills more broadly and build on them to support strategic evaluations and decision-making that maximises value globally.  Combining this with further education through an MBA and Director’s course, enabled me to make the decision to run for the AusIMM board.  It’s my way of giving back to the industry that has supported my passion and growth.  I look forward to where this might lead.

If you had to explain to your younger self why she might consider a future in the resources industry, what would you say to her?

I would tell her that we are living in an exciting, pivotal moment for the mining industry.  We need to build the future of sustainable mining through innovation and proactively seeking alternate ways of providing the world with the commodities it needs.  This amount of change needs diversity, not only of gender, but of culture, of experience, of thought. 

What’s your advice for women seeking leadership and board roles?

Be sure to gather as many varied experiences as you can along your career and don’t be afraid to challenge the status quo.  It won’t be easy.  There are many more opportunities these days.  If you get knocked down, get up again and carry on – the lyrics from a song by the music band, Chumbawamba, played at the 1998 football World Cup. But you’ll be stronger for it.  Don’t look for hand-outs but be ready to grab opportunities.  And love what you do.  You will be your most successful when you enjoy your work.

Throughout your career what changes have you seen to enable women to forge successful mining careers?

Toilets – a funny story from my first foray into the mining industry that I will share another time! But seriously, the biggest change I’ve seen is the number of men championing women in the industry.  I would not be where I am today without the support of not only my husband, but other inspirational male leaders in the industry.  Not everyone is there, but there are some great ones who only see people and provide the opportunities to succeed.

Do you have any views on what challenges still exist in the resources sector for women as well as thoughts on how to make the mining industry more inclusive?

There are several, but I think the challenge that stands out the most is our ability to reflect on ourselves.  It is essential for all of us, male and female, to look at ourselves, understand our personal biases, be able to describe the reasoning behind our actions, know what motivates us and ultimately be honest and true to ourselves and the people we work with.  If we do this, I think we can then start being more curious and inclusive of others with different views and experiences.  Everyone will benefit.  

What other interests drive and motivate you in life?

My family. We support each other in all our endeavours, and I am lucky. I would not be where I am today if not for them. We make each other stronger, better people and I love them for that. And of course, cricket.  I spend my summers watching my family play. I have even learned how to score. Cricket is a fascinating team sport of individuals. A battle between batter and bowler that is influenced by ground conditions, weather and interpersonal relationships. A good captain knows their team and sets the field to best effect to take a wicket. It’s a good metaphor for leading any team, knowing the strengths of the individuals is key to effecting the most productive and valuable outcome as a team.