His retirement is effective 1 July, the company said. 

“Robrecht has been a highly valued member of our senior leadership team for many years. His contribution to the group has been vast and varied, and we would like to wish him a well-deserved and fulfilling retirement,” ArcelorMittal chairman Lakshmi Mittal said in a statement. 

Himpe, who joined ArcelorMittal’s Gent operations in Belgium in 1981, also is a member of ArcelorMittal’s executive management committee and chief executive of the company’s AM/NS Calvert joint venture in Alabama. 
Himpe held a variety of senior operational positions at ArcelorMittal operations in Belgium, Germany and Spain and was named chief of ArcelorMittal’s European flat carbon unit in 2008. In 2014, he was appointed the group chief technology officer and became chief executive of ArcelorMittal North America and AM/NS Calvert in January 2016.

ArcelorMittal will split those duties among two current ArcelorMittal executives. Brad Davey, chief marketing officer for ArcelorMittal North America and head of its global automotive unit, will succeed Himpe as the North American chief executive.  

Davey joined ArcelorMittal’s Dofasco operation in Canada in 1986 and held several technology and manufacturing roles. Since 2001, he has held various senior commercial positions, including vice president of ArcelorMittal Dofasco.  

At AM/NS Calvert, another ArcelorMittal Dofasco alumnus, Howard MacNair, will take the helm.  MacNair joined Dofasco in 1977 and held several managerial positions in manufacturing and capital projects before moving into a commercial role in 1999. Since then, he has held various leadership positions within ArcelorMittal's automotive business.

“In Brad and Howard, we have promoted two proven, highly capable leaders. I have every confidence in their ability to build on Robrecht's work of the past two years and drive further improvement in our North American business,” Mittal said.