Last checked at 
LONDON (Alliance News) - Metals Exploration PLC said Thursday that it has appointed Darren Bowden as chief executive officer, effective immediately.
Share price in the natural resources exploration company more than doubled to 0.83 pence each in morning trade, following the appointment.
The appointment of Bowden follows the company's announcement in December that Ian Holzberger intends to move from executive to non-executive chair.
Bowden has 25 years of experience in mining across technical, operational and directorships covering coal mining and hard rock operations in more than seven countries, Metals Exploration said. He joins the company from Colombian gold company Minesa SAS, a unit of Mubadala Development Co.
At Minesa, Bowden was CEO and oversaw the design, development and licensing of Minesa's underground Soto Norte project located in north-central Colombia.
