Raj Surendran joined Tianqi Lithium’s Kwinana operation in 2019 as General Manager Finance. In September 2021 he was appointed Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the newly formed Tianqi Lithium Energy Australia (TLEA) joint venture and was appointed CEO on 19 October 2022. Raj is a highly experienced senior executive with over 20 years of finance, business development, strategy, project management, and commercial leadership experience in Australia.
Chris Tylich joined TLEA in 2021 and has over 25 years of experience working in the resources, logistics, processing and aviation industries and as a lawyer in private practice. He is responsible for the provision of legal and corporate governance advice and managing the risk function for the TLEA group companies.
Jeff is an outcome focused executive with over 23 years of experience leading high-performing teams and optimizing business operations within the Metal/Mineral industry. Spending a significant portion of his career in Australia, his extensive global profile also includes positions in China, Canada, South Africa etc. In his current role as Project Director in TLK, Jeff looks after capital expenditures for plant ramping up, known for balancing strategic vision with pragmatic approaches. Jeff holds a master’s degree in engineering, he is a registered professional in Engineers Australia, PMI and other institutes.
Wendy Chow, who joined TLEA in 2022 as Manager Commercial and Business Excellence and later became Manager Supply Chain, brings over 25 years of experience in the rail and energy sectors. Wendy oversees procurement, warehouse, and logistics to enhance efficiencies, prevent shortages, and improve profitability.
Mark Constance was appointed to the role of Group Manager HSEQ in 2022. He is responsible for the implementation and oversight of the systems and procedures that keep TLEA’s team members safe, while also preventing harm to the environment. Mark is also tasked with meeting the requirements of our clients’ contracts, WHS obligations, legal and statutory requirements, and compliance.
Emma has more than 25 years’ experience in human resources across a range of industries, including maritime, defence and mining. She was appointed Head of HR in July 2026. Emma’s expertise lies in aligning organisational goals with effective HR practices, helping ensure TLEA has the talented, capable and engaged workforce needed to deliver on its strategy.
As Manager Corporate Affairs, Sharon Iannello is responsible for the protection of TLEA’s company reputation, ensuring we live up to our culture and corporate brand. With over 25 years’ experience as a journalist and communications professional, Sharon manages TLEA’s internal and external communication and events, media, government and community relations, community partnerships, and brand presence.
