PLZL.L Regulatory News (PLZL)

Press Release 4 October 2017

PJSC Polyus

Maria Gordon nominated as new Independent Director of Polyus

PJSC Polyus (LSE, MOEX - PLZL) ("Polyus", or the "Company"), the largest gold producer in Russia, announces that the Company's Nomination & Remuneration Committee has recommended Maria Gordon for appointment as Independent Director to Polyus' Board of Directors (the "Board") and she has consented to the nomination. 

With the appointment, the number of Independent Directors on Polyus' Board will increase from three to four, comprising Maria Gordon, Edward Dowling, Kent Potter and William Champion. Ms. Gordon will replace Gulnara Kerimova on the Board and therefore the total number of Board members will not change.

An extraordinary general meeting of shareholders for the election of the new Board is scheduled for 1 December 2017.

Ms. Gordon has 20 years of experience in finance and capital markets and currently serves as a non-executive Director of the Moscow Exchange (MOEX), and as a Senior Independent Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee of Alrosa, the world's largest diamond producer.

She previously led the emerging markets portfolio management team at PIMCO, the world's second largest assest manager, as Executive Vice President and Head of EME Strategy.

Prior to PIMCO, Ms. Gordon spent 12 years at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, where she rose to Managing Director, Head of Emerging Markets Equity Strategy. During her time there, Ms. Gordon became a lead emerging markets portfolio manager with assets under management of USD10 billion.

Ms. Gordon was named Fund Manager of the Year on multiple occasions by Lipper and Morningstar between 2004 and 2007, and in 2011 she was listed in Financial News' 40 under 40 in Asset Management and Rising Stars in Finance.

Ms. Gordon holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin and a Master's degree in law and diplomacy from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.

Edward Dowling, Chairman of Polyus' Board, commented:

"I look forward to Maria Gordon joining the Board of Polyus. Her extensive experience and valuable insights should help to further strengthen Polyus' strategy and competitive performance. In addition, I am pleased that by further increasing our share of independent directors on the Board from three to four, Polyus is continuing to advance towards leading standards of corporate governance in Russia and EMEA."

Polyus

Polyus (www.polyus.com) is the largest gold producer in Russia and one of the top 10 gold miners globally with the lowest cost position. Based on its 2016 Ore Reserves and Mineral Resources, Polyus ranks second by attributable gold reserves and third by attributable gold resources among the world's largest gold mining companies.

Polyus group's principal operations are located in Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk and Magadan regions and the Sakha Republic (Yakutia).

Enquiries: 

Investor Contact

Victor Drozdov, Director Investor Relations

+7 (495) 641 33 77 drozdovvi@polyus.com 

Media contact

Victoria Vasilyeva, Director Public Relations

+7 (495) 641 33 77 vasilevavs@polyus.com

Forward looking statement

This announcement may contain "forward-looking statements" concerning Polyus and/or Polyus group. Generally, the words "will", "may", "should", "could", "would", "can", "continue", "opportunity", "believes", "expects", "intends", "anticipates", "estimates" or similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements relating to future capital expenditures and business and management strategies and the expansion and growth of Polyus' and/or Polyus group's operations. Many of these risks and uncertainties relate to factors that are beyond Polyus' and/or Polyus group's ability to control or estimate precisely and therefore undue reliance should not be placed on such statements which speak only as at the date of this announcement. Polyus and/or any Polyus group company assumes no obligation in respect of, and does not intend to update, these forward-looking statements, except as required pursuant to applicable law.