Elvis has left the building Sept 1
THE BOURSE WHISPERER: The regular game of musical chairs continues within the boardrooms across the resources industry. The Whisperer pokes his head down the corridors of power to take a quick look at some of the chairs to have recently been vacated and to find out which ones have been filled:
Director appointment
Venturex Resources has appointed John Nitschke as a non-executive director.
Nitschke is a mining engineer with over 35 years’ experience in the mining industry, including substantial experience operating at senior management levels in large resource companies.
Nitschke is currently the non-executive chairman of TSX-V-listed Continental Nickel, and is a non-executive director of ASX-listed IMX Resources and Toro Energy.
Board and management changes
Carabella Resources announced that managing director, Mitch Jakeman, has tendered his resignation as MD and as a director due to irreconcilable differences with the Board.
The Board has commenced the process of seeking a replacement for Jakeman.
The company also announced the resignation of Rick Gazzard as a non-executive director.
Carabella chairman Andrew Amer, has been appointed executive chairman until a replacement managing director is appointed.
David Begley, currently executive manager at Carabella has been appointed as interim chief operating officer.
New CEO
Coalbank Limited announced the appointment of Bruce Patrick as chief executive officer.
Staffan Ever, who has held the position for since June 2010, will join the company’s Board of directors as a non-executive director.
Patrick most recently served as the company’s General Manager.
Board and management restructure
Australian Renewable Fuels has reviewed the overall long term management structure of the business specifically with regard to the role of current executive chairman Tom Engelsman.
As a result the company has appointed Andrew White as managing director and chief executive officer.
Engelsman will continue as non-executive chairman of the company until the November 2011 Annual General Meeting when he will hand over to Philip Garling as the nominated Independent non-executive chairman.
Engelsman will then continue on as a non-executive director.
Julien Playoust and Michael Costello will continue as Independent non-executive directors.
Arafura appoints non-executive director
Australian rare earths company Arafura Resources has appointed Lloyd Jones as a non-executive director.
Jones has been involved with the chemical industry for many years and more recently in private equity.
He has substantial international experience having worked internationally in Australia, USA, China and Japan, and with responsibility for extensive operations.
Jones holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree and MBA from the University of Western Australia and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and resides in Melbourne.
Appointment of Non-Executive Chairman
Excelsior Gold has appointed Peter Bird non-executive director and chairman of the company.
Bird has worked in the resource industry for over 20 years and he brings extensive experience within the global and domestic gold sectors.
Following this appointment the Excelsior Board structure will be as follows:
Peter Bird – non-executive chairman
David Hamlyn – executive director and chief operating officer
David Potter – executive technical director
Chen Chik (Nicholas) Ong – non-executive director and company secretary
New chief executive officer
Coretrack Limited has appointed Bernie Kelly as its new chief executive officer.
Mr Kelly is the former head of international oil and gas company Baker Hughes in Australasia.
Most recently, over the past two years, he was Baker Hughes Australasia operations vice-president.
Kelly holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Chemistry from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.