Fred Delabbio
Director, Strategy Focused Innovation Pty Ltd
Fred is a professional engineer with more than 30 years of global mining experience. Since 2015, Fred has been Director of Strategy Focused Innovation (SFI) Pty Ltd., a consulting firm providing technical expertise, leadership, and strategy development assistance to the global mining and hydro electric industries. Before SFI, Fred was responsible for Global Underground Innovation at Rio Tinto as a General Manager where he led the establishment of a large step change program while also providing operation technical support. He is a strong leader with broad international mining experience who has successfully managed large multidisciplinary global teams developing and implementing safe innovative solutions.
He is recognized as a leader in operation improvement, application of automation, and development and deployment of new technologies from other industries to the natural resources industry worldwide. He has worked with over 50 mining operations and mine construction studies globally with companies such as: Rio Tinto, Inco, Vale, Oz Minerals, Debswana Diamonds, Snowy Hydro, Glencore, ERG, Newcrest, Agnico Eagle, Goldcorp, Barrick, Falconbridge, Placer Dome, and Iron Ore of Canada. His experience also includes technical advisory roles as part of Merger and Acquisitions with companies such as Rio Tinto, Advent, and JP Morgan.
He holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Queensland (Australia) focused on alternative rock excavation technologies, and a Bachelor of Science from Queen’s University (Canada). He actively supports the mining industry through previously as an Adjunct Professor at Laurentian University along with various technical advisory and Board roles with mining research organizations that include: CEMI, WRBA, DMRC, MIRARCO, and CAMIRO. He is the author or co-author of over 20 technical publications and a co-inventor of 9 patents.