Appian Capital Advisory, the investment advisor to private capital funds investing in metals and mining companies, has announced the appointment of Zetti Gavelan as deputy chief operating officer (COO).  

 Gavelan will oversee Appian’s operational portfolio and provide technical due diligence on pipeline investments.  He brings more than three decades of experience across precious and base metals mining at major projects and best-in-class operations globally.  

His career spans a wide range of technical, operational and leadership roles, covering advanced exploration, mine development, project construction, operational readiness and full-scale operations, as well as business modelling and safety, health, environment and community management. 

Prior to this appointment, Zetti was operations director for Glencore’s copper assets in Peru, where he held P&L responsibility for its Antapaccay operation, Antamina JV and Coroccohuayco project.  

He has also held senior operational and technical leadership roles at leading global mining companies, including serving as vice president of Operations for MMG Limited at the Las Bambas copper mine and General Manager at Nexa Resources’ Cerro Lindo mine in Peru, one of the largest underground zinc mines globally.  

Earlier in his career, he held senior technical roles at Yamana Gold in Argentina and Brazil and spent nearly 18 years with Barrick Gold across its LatAm operations. 

Gavelan previously served as Senior Vice President of Operations at Appian, where he oversaw the firm’s portfolio operations and provided input to the technical, financial, and investment committees on project evaluation, due diligence, acquisitions, project development and asset performance. 

“Zetti has built and operated some of the world’s most significant mining assets,” Appian CEO Michael Scherb said in a news release. 

“His experience further strengthens our operational capabilities and ability to optimize the companies we invest in. We are very pleased to welcome him back to Appian.”