Ionut Lazar

Principal Consultant

CRU
Ionut has worked for CRU since 2007 and is the company’s lead consultant on strategic advisory projects across the commodity spectrum. His remit includes market entry, diversification and M&A support; the formulation of decarbonisation strategies; and supply chain security with a focus on raw material criticality.

His recent projects include an M&A strategy for a mid-tier mining company,  assignments focused on aluminium value enhancement, secondary and low-carbon premia, and multiple studies in the field of elemental carbon.

Ionut brings to the role a wealth of advisory experience gained in important regional commodity markets. As a regional director for business development in East Asia, he established CRU's Tokyo office and provided strategic support to Japanese trading houses and Korean industrial entities. More recently, as CRU's head representative in India, Middle East and Africa, he oversaw important strategic assignments for MENA aluminium and fertilizer complexes, government agencies, sovereign funds and South African mining companies.

 

Areas of expertise:

  • Strategy Development
  • Metals and Mining
  • Industrials
  • Negotiation support
  • Automotive
  • Sustainability
  • Chemicals
  • Expert witness
  • Green Technology 

Other past experience:

  • Counsellor in the Prime Minister’s Chancellery, Romanian government (2005-2007)

Education/Qualifications:

  • MPhil, Political Philosophy, Cambridge University 
  • MA, Social and Political Science, Cambridge University

Additional Skills:

Romanian, Italian, Japanese and French