Blair Dickerson

A former Vale Base Metals executive and a skilled industry lobbyist has been chosen to lead the Canadian Steel Producers Association (CSPA). Blair Dickerson, the current vice-president for public and corporate affairs at forest products giant Domtar, replaces Catherine Cobden, who resigned July 31. A CPSA news release said Dickerson assumes the role on Sept. 17. Dickerson handled corporate affairs, communications and government affairs for Vale Base Metals between January 2021 and March 2022. Before that, she was the Ottawa-based general manager of communities and communications for Rio Tinto from 2019 to 2020. She fulfilled various corporate relations roles covering North America and Asia for the international miner from 2015 to 2019. Prior to joining the mining industry, Dickerson worked as vice-president of external relations and communications at the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) between 2008 and 2015.