Elvis has left the building
THE BOURSE WHISPERER: The regular game of musical chairs continues within the boardrooms across the resources industry.
PMI appoints chairman / non-executive director
PMI Gold Corporation (ASX:PVM) has appointed James (Jim) Askew as chairman and non-executive director.
Askew is a mining engineer with international experience as a chairman, chief executive officer and director for international mining, resource investment, contracting, software and mining service companies.
He has had continuous involvement with the Ghanaian gold industry since 1985.
“Mr. Askew is a standout appointment, well respected in Australian and North American capital markets,” PMI Gold Corporation interim chair and non-executive director Ross Ashton said in the company’s ASX announcement.
“He has been directly involved in multiple corporate successes which have required strong strategic leadership and resulted in enormous value creation.”
PMI also indicated its intention to nominate two new directors for election at the upcoming Annual General Meeting scheduled for 15 May 2013.
The first of these is Peter Bradford, a metallurgist with some thirty years of project management experience in Africa (including eight years as president and CEO of Ghana gold producer Golden Star Resources).
Second is Michael Anderson, a twenty year mining industry professional and director of Taurus Funds Management with broad Australian (ex-managing director of Exco Resources) and African mineral resource experience (non-executive director Ampella Mining).
Challenger Energy appoints new managing director
Challenger Energy (ASX: CEL) has appointed Robert A. Willes to the position of managing director., effective on 8 April 2013.
Willes has over 25 years of extensive international experience in the oil and gas and energy industries – primarily with BP (formerly British Petroleum).
Willes’ early career with BP involved several positions in petroleum product supply, trading, and marketing, and as a lead negotiator for numerous gas transactions in Europe.
Subsequently, he became project manager of Group Mergers and Acquisitions, where he led the divestments of Burmah Castrol’s Chemicals Division and Great Yarmouth Power Ltd, and advised the Corporation on a number of acquisition opportunities.
More recently, Willes was chief executive officer of Eureka Energy Limited, and was instrumental in managing the recommended A$107 million On-Market Takeover by Aurora Oil and Gas Limited.
New Rawsons Resources MD
Rawson Resources (ASX: RAW) has announced the appointment of Scott Brownlaw as managing director.
Brownlaw initially joined the company’s Board in December 2012, since when he has been involved with Rawson’s recent transition.
Brownlaw’s background is in oil and gas exploration, having previously held senior technical positions as New Ventures manager and chief geologist in several exploration companies.
His experience comes mainly from exploration in South East Asia and Australia, with a focus on Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, Philippines, and the Bonaparte Basin, Western Australia.
Rawson said the appointment of Brownlaw met the company’s parameters of a managing director with proven technical and commercial abilities, to support the new Board’s strategy of a more commercially focussed exploration company.
Erin Resources appointment of new managing director and other Board changes
Erin Resources (ASX: ERI) has appointed Nick Poll as managing director, forming a new Board of Directors with Brett Mitchell as chairman and Grant Davey as non-executive director effective immediately.
This change follows the completion of a strategic review and recent changes to the company’s project team in Senegal.
“I’m delighted to join the team at Erin Resources,” Poll said.
“We have a great team in-country and the current status of gold exploration in Senegal, and West Africa in general, seems analogous to Western Australia in the 1980’s.
“Many of the WA discoveries since then have been semi-concealed, due to laterite and we see strong laterite formation in Senegal, so I think there is tremendous possibility for discoveries in Senegal and nearby countries.”
Poll is an experienced exploration geologist, having been integral in the largest nickel sulphide deposit discovery in over a decade and previously holding various senior roles in gold exploration with WMC Resources Limited.
“We are delighted that Nick is able to join Erin Resources as managing director, to drive the company’s operations and corporate activities moving forward,” new chairman Brett Mitchell said.
“He brings extensive technical experience and corporate skills to the company, particularly in the areas of gold exploration, resource discovery and country management, developed through a long career in gold exploration with WMC Resources and as managing director of Mirabela Nickel with its discovery of Santa Rita.”
Grant Davey steps down from the position of managing director as a result of this appointment and remains on the board as a non-executive director.
The new appointments follow James Malone and Robert Besley both stepping down as chairman and non-executive director respectively.