Agapi Sbirakis
With nearly two decades of experience across base metals, precious metals, commodity trading, international logistics, sales, refining, technology integration, and operational strategy, I’ve built a career defined by continuous growth and an eagerness to understand the metals industry from every angle.
My professional journey has evolved from supporting commodity traders and managing international scrap metal operations to overseeing complex precious metals logistics, supporting commercial growth, driving operational improvements, and most recently, assuming responsibility for high-grade precious metals refining operations across the East and West Coasts.
That latest chapter, as Precious Metals Manager at Reliable Silver Corporation, has proved to be one of the most transformative periods of my career.
A Transformative Step into Precious Metals Refining
Joining Reliable Silver Corporation marked an important professional turning point. Over the past year, I was entrusted with managing the company’s high-grade precious metals refining operations across its East and West Coast facilities, significantly expanding my industry experience.
With nearly two decades in metals, I approached this as a new stage of professional development—learning continuously, adapting quickly, asking questions, and understanding processes more deeply.
My previous experience covered precious metals trading, logistics, customer service, financial processes, risk management, and global supply chains. Refining added an important new dimension, giving me a deeper appreciation of the technical, operational, financial, and commercial aspects of the refining lifecycle.
This experience has broadened my understanding of the precious metals landscape and strengthened my ability to connect these areas effectively.
Turning Experience into Commercial Perspective
Perhaps one of the most significant outcomes of this latest career move has been developing stronger commercial awareness.
Years throughout the metals supply chain taught me the importance of precision, risk management, customer relationships, compliance, logistics, and operational efficiency. My refining experience has allowed me to view those principles from another perspective.
I now bring together experience spanning base-metal scrap, precious metals trading, physical logistics, refining, sales, customer relationships, finance, technology, and operational leadership. That combination has created what I consider a new competitive edge.
The experience has also reinforced an important lesson: expertise is never finished. Even after years in an industry, stepping outside a familiar role can reveal entirely new dimensions of the business.
Taking responsibility for high-grade refining operations across both coasts has transformed me professionally. I entered with years of precious metals experience but quickly recognized another layer to understand. The past year has been about continuously learning, adapting, and expanding my perspective, giving me stronger commercial awareness and a broader foundation for the next chapter of my career.
A Career Across the Metals Value Chain
My career began at Mitsubishi International Corporation, supporting base metals traders with contract settlements, risk management, and back-office operations.
I later joined INTL FCStone, advancing to Scrap Operations Manager, where I managed international freight, import/export operations, customers, overseas agents, ports, inspections, and trade-finance transactions. My work contributed to initiatives that significantly increased departmental sales.
I then entered precious metals with Heraeus Metals, where my responsibilities expanded to secure high-value inventory movement, global logistics, compliance, reconciliation, audits, SOP development, risk mitigation, and team leadership.
As a Senior Inside Sales Analyst, I supported field sales and contributed to an approximately 25% increase in sales through a defined selling process. As Senior Operations Analyst, I supported a profitable precious metals trading desk across operations, finance, treasury, technology, and customer onboarding.
My responsibilities included process optimization, forecasting, automation, cost savings, training, and digital systems. Each role added another piece to a much larger picture.
From Moving Metal to Understanding Its Entire Journey
What distinguishes my career today is the breadth of that experience. I have worked with metals from multiple perspectives:
• Commodity trading operations
• Base and precious metals
• High-grade precious metals refining
• Refining management
• International logistics and freight
• Import/export operations
• Trade finance
• Sales and commercial support
• Customer relationship Management
• Physical inventory management
• Operational and financial risk
• Digital transformation
• SAP integration
• Process optimization and automation
• Team development and leadership
• Strategic sourcing and supplier relationships
• Cross-functional business strategy
That progression has allowed me to understand that the metals business is not simply about the commodity.
It is about the entire ecosystem surrounding it: where material originates, how it moves, how it is valued, how it is processed and refined, how financial and operational risks are managed, how customers are served, and ultimately how each of those decisions affects profitability.
Experience Creates Perspective. Change Creates Growth.
I see my move into refining as an example of why established professionals should continue challenging themselves beyond their area of expertise. Nearly two decades in metals gave me a strong foundation, but stepping into refining gave me valuable perspective. It deepened my understanding of how the precious metals business connects across refining, trading, sourcing, logistics, finance, customers, and operations. Today, I approach the industry differently, ask different questions, and see opportunities through both operational and commercial lenses.
Building the Foundation for the Next Chapter
For me, professional transformation has never meant abandoning what came before. Instead, every stage has built upon the previous one.
Mitsubishi provided the foundation in commodity trading. INTL FCStone developed my understanding of base metals, international logistics, trade finance, and commercial operations.
Heraeus deepened my expertise in precious metals, global logistics, customer service, digital transformation, operational excellence, and trading operations.
And Reliable Silver Corporation has brought those experiences together while adding a critical new dimension: high-grade precious metals refining leadership.
The combination has created a professional perspective that stretches across a substantial portion of the metals value chain.
And perhaps more importantly, it has strengthened my belief that longevity in an industry should never be confused with having nothing left to learn.
“One of the most valuable lessons of my career has been realizing that experience gives you a foundation, but curiosity determines how far you can build upon it. I am still learning, still evolving, and still discovering new sides of an industry that has fascinated me throughout my career.”
I look toward the next chapter, I do so with stronger commercial awareness, broader industry knowledge, deeper refining expertise, and nearly two decades of operational experience behind me.
Not simply as an operations professional.
Not simply as a precious metal’s professional.
But as a metals industry leader who understands how operations, refining, logistics, technology, customers, and commercial strategy come together to create value.
