Career
Williams has worked in both the public and private sectors,primarily in executive roles. She served as client manager and later as administrative and financial manager at the Antofagasta Sanitary Services Company,and then as client manager at Aguas de Antofagasta. Her roles focused on resource management,goal planning,and procurement.
During Michelle Bachelet's first presidential term (2006–2010),Williams was appointed Regional Ministerial Secretary (Seremi) of Public Works for the Antofagasta Region. In this capacity,she oversaw infrastructure investments in the region and coordinated the reconstruction efforts following the 2007 Tocopilla earthquake. [8]
Subsequently,she worked as administrative and financial manager at Antofagasta Terminal International (ATI),a port concessionaire responsible for 60% of private mining exports in the region and associated with the Luksic Group. [9]
Minister of Mining (2014–2018)
In March 2014,Williams was appointed Minister of Mining by President Michelle Bachelet,becoming the second woman to lead the ministry after Karen Poniachik. [9] As minister,she also assumed the presidency of the boards of the state-owned National Mining Company (ENAMI) and the Chilean Copper Commission (COCHILCO).
During her tenure,she:
- Oversaw the repeal of the Ley Reservada del Cobre ,removing the secrecy surrounding defense-related copper revenues. [10]
- Promoted the capitalization of Codelco to finance its structural projects. [11]
- Introduced legislation creating a Price Stabilization Mechanism for Small-Scale Mining. [12]
- Oversaw the definitive closure of two controversial mining projects:the Chilean-Argentine Pascua Lama project and the Dominga project. [13] [14] [15]
- Led the government's response to the fatal flooding incident at the Cerro Bayo mine in Chile Chico in 2017,where two miners were trapped and later found dead. [16]
She also created the National Lithium Commission,aimed at developing a public policy for lithium mining in Chile. The commission classified lithium as a strategic mineral and recommended the State retain ownership of lithium resources. [17] However,following negotiations,the Chilean Economic Development Agency (CORFO) reached an agreement with private mining company SQM (Soquimich) to continue exploiting lithium until 2030. [18] [19] This followed a failed public tender during Sebastián Piñera's first administration,which had awarded lithium rights to SQM despite the company's ongoing legal disputes with the State. The controversy led to the resignation and later prosecution of then-Deputy Mining Secretary Pablo Wagner for document forgery. [20]
Other roles
Between March and October 2018,after leaving the national cabinet,Williams served as Executive Secretary of the Municipal Corporation for Social Development in Antofagasta. [21] [22] Her appointment by right-wing mayor Karen Rojo caused discontent within her own Radical Party. [23]
Return as Minister of Mining (2023–)
In August 2023,President Gabriel Boric appointed Williams as Minister of Mining in a cabinet reshuffle,replacing Marcela Hernando. [3]
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