Ivan Glasenberg Quotations

When we first invested in Colombia, we were buying a lot of coal from Colombia. We were dealing with them daily. I knew their guys at the port, I knew their guys at the mine, I had a feel of the country.

What are we focused on? Return on equity. We don't need these great big tier one assets. I'm very happy with getting tier two, tier three assets; that's what Glencore has been good at.

We're creating new supply for the world, which is key. If we didn't get more tonnes into the system, your next motorcar is going to cost more because the aluminum cost is going to be higher.

We want people who work for us to be entrepreneurs. We like them to look at ideas. We like them to chase ideas. We like them to not be what I call a caretaker of an asset.

I observed a man sourcing candle wax from South America and selling it to Japan. I thought: 'That's unbelievable. Talking on the phone in his office, that man made money moving candle wax from one country to another.' It really interested me.

Africa is where commodities are found, so it is vital that Glencore and other miners are there to develop those resources, helping Africa itself to grow at the same time.

You're doing a major merger, you got to hope you didn't get it wrong. That's the view of any CEO.

You'll sacrifice a lot of things in the early part of your career to be successful, but to be ahead of your competitors, you have to work hard.

You want to be a trader, come be a trader. The door's open. You want to travel six days a week, you want to travel the world, the door's open.

Why should I build an asset when I can buy it more cheaply than you can build it?