<PAGE>   1


                                                                    Exhibit 24.1


                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

                         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS


     WHEREAS ALCAN ALUMINIUM LIMITED, a Canadian company (the "Company"),
proposes shortly to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, under the
provisions of the Securities Act of 1934 as amended (the "Act"), the Annual
Report on Form 10-K pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Act.

     WHEREAS the undersigned is an Officer and/or a Director of the Company as
indicated below:

     NOW, THEREFORE, the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Robert des
Trois Maisons, Serge Fecteau, P.K. Pal, and each of them, as attorneys for the
undersigned and in the undersigned's name, place and stead, and in each of the
undersigned's offices and capacities as an Officer and/or a Director of the
Corporation, to execute and file such Annual Report on Form 10-K, hereby giving
and granting to said attorneys full power and authority to do and perform all
and every act and thing whatsoever requisite and necessary to be done in and
about the premises as fully, to all intents and purposes, as the undersigned
might or could do if personally present at the doing thereof, hereby ratifying
and confirming all that said attorneys may or shall lawfully do, or cause to be
done, by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of March
1999.



                                                 [signed]
                                       ______________________________         

                                       Name:   Warren Chippindale
                                       Title:  Director

<PAGE>   2
                                                                    Exhibit 24.2


                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

                         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS


     WHEREAS ALCAN ALUMINIUM LIMITED, a Canadian company (the "Company"),
proposes shortly to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, under the
provisions of the Securities Act of 1934 as amended (the "Act"), the Annual
Report on Form 10-K pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Act.

     WHEREAS the undersigned is an Officer and/or a Director of the Company as
indicated below:

     NOW, THEREFORE, the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Robert des
Trois Maisons, Serge Fecteau, P.K. Pal, and each of them, as attorneys for the
undersigned and in the undersigned's name, place and stead, and in each of the
undersigned's offices and capacities as an Officer and/or a Director of the
Corporation, to execute and file such Annual Report on Form 10-K, hereby giving
and granting to said attorneys full power and authority to do and perform all
and every act and thing whatsoever requisite and necessary to be done in and
about the premises as fully, to all intents and purposes, as the undersigned
might or could do if personally present at the doing thereof, hereby ratifying
and confirming all that said attorneys may or shall lawfully do, or cause to be
done, by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of March
1999.



                                                [signed]
                                       __________________________ 
                                       Name:  Travis Engen
                                       Title: Director

<PAGE>   3
                                                                    Exhibit 24.3


                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

                         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS


     WHEREAS ALCAN ALUMINIUM LIMITED, a Canadian company (the "Company"),
proposes shortly to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, under the
provisions of the Securities Act of 1934 as amended (the "Act"), the Annual
Report on Form 10-K pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Act.

     WHEREAS the undersigned is an Officer and/or a Director of the Company as
indicated below:

     NOW, THEREFORE, the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Robert des
Trois Maisons, Serge Fecteau, P.K. Pal, and each of them, as attorneys for the
undersigned and in the undersigned's name, place and stead, and in each of the
undersigned's offices and capacities as an Officer and/or a Director of the
Corporation, to execute and file such Annual Report on Form 10-K, hereby giving
and granting to said attorneys full power and authority to do and perform all
and every act and thing whatsoever requisite and necessary to be done in and
about the premises as fully, to all intents and purposes, as the undersigned
might or could do if personally present at the doing thereof, hereby ratifying
and confirming all that said attorneys may or shall lawfully do, or cause to be
done, by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of March
1999.


              
                                               [signed]
                                       __________________________  
      
                                       Name:  John R. Evans
                                       Title: Director

<PAGE>   4
                                                                    Exhibit 24.4


                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

                         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS


     WHEREAS ALCAN ALUMINIUM LIMITED, a Canadian company (the "Company"),
proposes shortly to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, under the
provisions of the Securities Act of 1934 as amended (the "Act"), the Annual
Report on Form 10-K pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Act.

     WHEREAS the undersigned is an Officer and/or a Director of the Company as
indicated below:

     NOW, THEREFORE, the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Robert des
Trois Maisons, Serge Fecteau, P.K. Pal, and each of them, as attorneys for the
undersigned and in the undersigned's name, place and stead, and in each of the
undersigned's offices and capacities as an Officer and/or a Director of the
Corporation, to execute and file such Annual Report on Form 10-K, hereby giving
and granting to said attorneys full power and authority to do and perform all
and every act and thing whatsoever requisite and necessary to be done in and
about the premises as fully, to all intents and purposes, as the undersigned
might or could do if personally present at the doing thereof, hereby ratifying
and confirming all that said attorneys may or shall lawfully do, or cause to be
done, by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of March
1999.


 
                                                [signed]
                                       ___________________________ 

                                       Name:  J.E. Newall 
                                       Title: Director

<PAGE>   5
                                                                    Exhibit 24.5


                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

                         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS


     WHEREAS ALCAN ALUMINIUM LIMITED, a Canadian company (the "Company"),
proposes shortly to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, under the
provisions of the Securities Act of 1934 as amended (the "Act"), the Annual
Report on Form 10-K pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Act.

     WHEREAS the undersigned is an Officer and/or a Director of the Company as
indicated below:

     NOW, THEREFORE, the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Robert des
Trois Maisons, Serge Fecteau, P.K. Pal, and each of them, as attorneys for the
undersigned and in the undersigned's name, place and stead, and in each of the
undersigned's offices and capacities as an Officer and/or a Director of the
Corporation, to execute and file such Annual Report on Form 10-K, hereby giving
and granting to said attorneys full power and authority to do and perform all
and every act and thing whatsoever requisite and necessary to be done in and
about the premises as fully, to all intents and purposes, as the undersigned
might or could do if personally present at the doing thereof, hereby ratifying
and confirming all that said attorneys may or shall lawfully do, or cause to be
done, by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of March
1999.



                                                [signed]
                                       _____________________________   

                                       Name:  Peter H. Pearse
                                       Title: Director

<PAGE>   6
                                                                    Exhibit 24.6


                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

                         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS


     WHEREAS ALCAN ALUMINIUM LIMITED, a Canadian company (the "Company"),
proposes shortly to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, under the
provisions of the Securities Act of 1934 as amended (the "Act"), the Annual
Report on Form 10-K pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Act.

     WHEREAS the undersigned is an Officer and/or a Director of the Company as
indicated below:

     NOW, THEREFORE, the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Robert des
Trois Maisons, Serge Fecteau, P.K. Pal, and each of them, as attorneys for the
undersigned and in the undersigned's name, place and stead, and in each of the
undersigned's offices and capacities as an Officer and/or a Director of the
Corporation, to execute and file such Annual Report on Form 10-K, hereby giving
and granting to said attorneys full power and authority to do and perform all
and every act and thing whatsoever requisite and necessary to be done in and
about the premises as fully, to all intents and purposes, as the undersigned
might or could do if personally present at the doing thereof, hereby ratifying
and confirming all that said attorneys may or shall lawfully do, or cause to be
done, by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of March
1999.



                                                   [signed]
                                       ________________________________ 

                                       Name:  Sir George Russell
                                       Title: Director

<PAGE>   7
                                                                    Exhibit 24.7


                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

                         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS


     WHEREAS ALCAN ALUMINIUM LIMITED, a Canadian company (the "Company"),
proposes shortly to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, under the
provisions of the Securities Act of 1934 as amended (the "Act"), the Annual
Report on Form 10-K pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Act.

     WHEREAS the undersigned is an Officer and/or a Director of the Company as
indicated below:

     NOW, THEREFORE, the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Robert des
Trois Maisons, Serge Fecteau, P.K. Pal, and each of them, as attorneys for the
undersigned and in the undersigned's name, place and stead, and in each of the
undersigned's offices and capacities as an Officer and/or a Director of the
Corporation, to execute and file such Annual Report on Form 10-K, hereby giving
and granting to said attorneys full power and authority to do and perform all
and every act and thing whatsoever requisite and necessary to be done in and
about the premises as fully, to all intents and purposes, as the undersigned
might or could do if personally present at the doing thereof, hereby ratifying
and confirming all that said attorneys may or shall lawfully do, or cause to be
done, by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of March
1999.



                                                 [signed]
                                        ____________________________
 
                                        Name:  Guy Saint-Pierre
                                        Title: Director

<PAGE>   8
                                                                    Exhibit 24.8


                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

                         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS


     WHEREAS ALCAN ALUMINIUM LIMITED, a Canadian company (the "Company"),
proposes shortly to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, under the
provisions of the Securities Act of 1934 as amended (the "Act"), the Annual
Report on Form 10-K pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Act.

     WHEREAS the undersigned is an Officer and/or a Director of the Company as
indicated below:

     NOW, THEREFORE, the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints Robert des
Trois Maisons, Serge Fecteau, P.K. Pal, and each of them, as attorneys for the
undersigned and in the undersigned's name, place and stead, and in each of the
undersigned's offices and capacities as an Officer and/or a Director of the
Corporation, to execute and file such Annual Report on Form 10-K, hereby giving
and granting to said attorneys full power and authority to do and perform all
and every act and thing whatsoever requisite and necessary to be done in and
about the premises as fully, to all intents and purposes, as the undersigned
might or could do if personally present at the doing thereof, hereby ratifying
and confirming all that said attorneys may or shall lawfully do, or cause to be
done, by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of March
1999.



                                                  [signed]
                                       _______________________________ 

                                       Name:  Gerhard Schulmeyer
                                       Title: Director