Glencore woos top Xstrata staff The commodity giant is understood to have approached a number of senior operational and business unit staff at Xstrata, to explain what they would receive if they stay on post the tie-up. Charlie Sartain, the head of copper, and Ian Pearce, the head of nickel, are both thought to have been approached. The move by Glencore comes after Xstrata's investors vetoed against paying £140m "golden handcuff" payments to 70 key staff to avoid them leaving in the wake of the deal. Chief executive Mick Davis is also stepping down, agreed earlier this year in return for Glencore upping its offer. Glencore, however, is thought to be focused on keeping key managerial talent rather than board-level departures. Xstrata and Glencore declined to comment.