A mining engineer and executive with over 35 years of global, multi-commodity experience in operations, project development, government and Indigenous relations, and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), predominantly with Anglo American and De Beers, gained through multicultural exposure in Canada, South America, Southern and West Africa, Russia and the UK. Before retiring from De Beers in 2016 as COO of De Beers Canada, he led the permitting, Indigenous engagement and project management for the Gahcho Kué diamond mine, delivered on budget and on time; he is now an independent consultant and has been a Director of Atrum Coal since 2020 and its Chairman since 2021.
Mining and ESG Consultant.
Principal of a mineral and resource industry consultancy covering regulatory and permitting, Impact Benefit Agreements, government and stakeholder relations, Indigenous engagement, and project and operational management. Clients have included Atrum Coal, Fortune Minerals, Resource Capital Fund and Ledcor.
Director, and Non-Executive Chairperson since April 2021.
Director from 2016; Chief Operating Officer 2017 – 2020.
Chief Operating Officer, accountable for the Snap Lake and Victor mines and delivery of the ~US$1bn Gahcho Kué diamond project, commissioned on time and on budget with first carats in June 2016. Responsible for ~1,500 employees, and led the project's permitting strategy and the negotiation of six Impact Benefit Agreements.
Chief Executive Officer, Peace River Coal and GM, Anglo Coal Canada. Returned a ~1.5 Mtpa metallurgical coal business to profitability within roughly 18 months, rebuilt the senior team, delivered a ~US$80m expansion, and signed an impact benefit agreement with the West Moberly First Nations.
Head of Operational Performance for Canada and South America, overseeing shareholder management of the Cerrejón (Colombia), Guasare (Venezuela) and Peace River Coal joint ventures across safety, operations and capital.
Chief Operating Officer of Trans-Siberian Gold plc and the Polymetal joint venture, leading project development, engineering and exploration in Kamchatka and Krasnoyarsk and completing the Asacha feasibility study and pre-production mine infrastructure.
General Manager of a remote, self-contained mine site producing ~700,000 oz/year, delivering a plant expansion (33%+ production), a tactical exploration programme that added ~500,000 oz of reserves, and improved industrial relations and community development.
Project Manager for a ~US$100m modernisation of a deep-level gold mine, the first use of PMBOK and earned-value project management principles within Anglo American Plc.
Management Assistant on the project team that completed the World Bank feasibility study and EIA and designed, constructed and commissioned the 4 Mtpa remote-site mine, then Mine and Technical Services Superintendent (1996 – 2000) at the ~500,000 oz/year operation.
Practical mining, coal processing and supervision training on underground and opencast coal operations, followed by special projects work on Anglo American and De Beers' corporate social investment portfolio.