Career Biography

Manuel Díaz Moles is managing counsel Americas at Gold Fields, leading all legal matters across Chile and Peru, including operational, strategic growth and business development initiatives for some of the region’s most significant mining assets. Prior to his current regional role, he served as Head of Legal & Compliance for Gold Fields Chile, where he played a pivotal role in the development, construction and operational readiness of the Salares Norte Project, one of the most important new gold mining operations developed in Chile in recent decades.

With more than twenty-five years of professional experience, including over two decades dedicated to the mining and natural resources industry, Manuel has built a distinguished career advising executive leadership teams and boards on complex legal, regulatory, ESG, infrastructure and stakeholder-related matters. Throughout his career, he has been deeply involved in the development of major mining, energy, water and infrastructure projects, combining legal expertise with a strong business-oriented mindset.

A defining achievement of Manuel’s career has been his leadership of the legal strategy for the Salares Norte Project since joining Gold Fields in 2019. He led the legal support required to secure and maintain the project’s environmental approvals and regulatory framework, while designing and implementing the permitting strategy necessary to enable construction in one of Chile’s most challenging operating environments. Throughout the project development phase, he coordinated highly complex regulatory, permitting, land, mining property, contractual and stakeholder matters, providing legal leadership during the transition from construction to operations.

As Salares Norte moved into production, Manuel continued leading the legal strategy required to establish and support operational readiness, enabling the commencement of gold exports in 2024. This milestone not only represented the successful execution of a world-class mining project but also contributed to reinforcing Chile’s position as a significant gold-producing jurisdiction within the global mining industry.

Before joining Gold Fields, Manuel held senior legal leadership positions at BHP and Minera Escondida, where he led legal and permitting strategies for major projects including Organic Growth Project 1, Escondida Water Supply initiatives, the Kelar Power Plant and other large-scale infrastructure developments supporting the company’s Chilean operations. His work was instrumental in obtaining regulatory approvals, securing critical land and water rights, and supporting long-term operational continuity.

Manuel also served as Corporate Legal Director at Codelco, where he led a team of senior lawyers and was responsible for coordinating legal functions across the corporation’s business divisions. During this period, he played a key role in strategic initiatives, including the legal structuring and support of major desalination, infrastructure and international mining investment projects.

Beyond project delivery, Manuel is recognised for building high-performing legal teams and for partnering closely with operational, technical and executive leadership to create practical, value-driven solutions. Today, his responsibilities extend across Chile and Peru, where he supports operating mines, strategic investments and emerging business opportunities throughout Latin America, helping to shape the legal and regulatory foundations for sustainable growth in the mining sector.