He graduated from The Universidad Catolica de Chile with a Degree in Civil Engineering in 1980.

Since 1981 Mr Cuadra has worked for Codelco in Santiago de Chile, New York and London holding various positions, all of them in the commercial area. At present Gonzalo Cuadra is the Chief Executive of the London subsidiaries of Codelco, Chile Copper Ltd and Codelco Services Ltd.

This long standing employment with Codelco was broken only once from 1988 to 1992.  During that period, Mr Cuadra worked for three years for Soquimich (Chilean Chemical and Mining Company) at their Sales Office in Antwerp, Belgium and one year for Billiton at their office in The Hague, Holland.

Mr Cuadra participates actively in institutions relating to the metals industry and is currently a member of the LME Copper and Warehousing committees, an alternate member of the Board of the European Copper Institute and a member of the Board of the Copper Development Association of the United Kingdom.  He currently also holds the post of Vice Chairman of the British-Chilean Chamber of Commerce.