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Lesley Bryce

from Waitress to General Manager - Strategic Projects
I lead large projects to improve our aluminium mines, refineries and smelters
Industry
Mining and Resources
Company
Rio Tinto
Job Level
Senior

Ask me about

  • How my passion for living and working remotely has led me to NT
  • How being raised on a dairy farm led to a career in engineering
  • How I overcame barriers in a male dominated industry

About me

  • International Experience
  • Regional Background

When I was younger I wanted to be a pharmacist but by the time I finished high school I had decided on engineering. I studied microelectronics in Scotland and worked in the electronics industry before I move to Australia in 2003. I joined the mining industry in 2005 and have worked at Rio Tinto for nearly 20 years now! I joined Rio Tinto as a Business Improvement Specialist in the Aluminium Product group and then moved into our support areas as a project manager. After that I joined our Diamonds business back in Business Improvement before moving into operations both in surface and underground mining and stayed at Argyle Diamonds for 6 years. In 2017 I moved into my first General Manager role at Ranger Uranium Mine in the NT. I was accountable for everything at site for both the operation and rehabilitation. My last role before my current one was back in the Aluminium group as General Manager at Australia’s 2nd largest smelter – Boyne Island. Here I had approx. 1200 employees to look after.

About my role

  • Curious
  • Optimistic
  • Passionate
  • Sociable
  • Trusting

As a General Manager Strategic Projects I work across our integrated aluminium business leading small teams to find better ways of doing things. Aluminium is made through 3 stages - bauxite is mined and then transferred to a refinery to be made into alumina and is then sent to the smelter to make aluminium. A lot of my day is spent talking to people at our sites and in our offices about what we can do differently to improve. This might be to solve technical issues, looking at new processes or assisting with how we rehabilitate areas no longer being mined.

Education

  • B Eng Hons in Microelectronics
  • MBA
  • Chartered Engineer

Subjects

  • Chemistry
  • General Mathematics (Maths A)
  • Industrial Technology
  • Languages
  • Mathematical Methods (Maths B)
  • Physics
  • Specialist Mathematics (Maths C)

Awards

  • WIM 100 - Global 100 Women in Mining 2020
  • https://internationalwim.org/iwim-reports/100-global-inspirational-women-in-mining-2020/

Hobbies

  • Camping
  • Reading
  • Seeing family and friends
  • Travel
  • Volunteering

Pets

  • 2 Dog

15 year old me!!

“If someone tells you that you can't do something, it just means you can't do it with them!”

My career journey

Curious to know how I got here? Here’s a snapshot of my career pathway.
  1. Studied microelectronics at uni
  2. Started engineering at 21
  3. Moved from Scotland to Australia in 2003
  4. Joined mining industry, worked across a number of product groups
  5. Have worked in the mining industry for nearly 20 years!

My typical day

My employer

Rio Tinto operates in 35 countries where its 60,000 employees are working to find better ways to provide the materials the world needs. Rio’s portfolio includes iron ore, copper, aluminium and a range of other minerals and materials needed for people, communities and nations to grow and prosper, and for the world to cut carbon emissions to net zero. Continuously searching for new projects that can support the energy transition, Rio Tinto is currently exploring for 8 commodities in 17 countries. The organisation has more than 150 years of mining and processing experience guiding its work and, today, the business relies on technology such as automation and artificial intelligence to help it run more safely, more efficiently and leave a lighter footprint.