Šimonka has been at the helm of SIJ since 2002 and has remained CEO also after the state sold in 2007 a combined 72% stake in SIJ to the Zubitskiy family. Korchagin joined the management team in 2007.

Chief supervisor Andrey Zubitskiy thanked Šimonka and Korchagin for their years-long work at SIJ and expressed confidence that the new management will continue to do the job equally successfully.

Chernykh, who will replace the long-serving CEO, served as the boss of SIJ subsidiary SIJ - Obdelava jekla; he has worked in several SIJ subsidiaries in Slovenia since 2008.

Melanov has served as executive director in charge of finance, economics and IT since 2007; he was also a member of SIJ's supervisory board since 2013 and gave up the function prior to today's appointment for management board member.

SIJ's single largest owner is Dilon, a Ljubljana-based company that holds 55.35% in the group. Russian iron and coke production group Koks owns a 16.86% share of the group. Both Dilon and Koks are owned by the Zubitskiy family. The state retained a 25% stake plus one share in the group.