2 Sep 2013 07:23
Nordgold strengthens senior management team
Amsterdam, Netherlands, September 2, 2013 - Nord Gold N.V. ("Nordgold" or the "Company", LSE: NORD), the internationally diversified, pure-play gold producer strategically focused on emerging markets, following a series of recent internal and external appointments is please to present an update on key areas of its operating leadership team. Nordgold is confident that by broadening the experience and skillset in its executive team, it will be better positioned to deliver on the efficiency and technical improvements necessary to deliver on its strategic objectives: to improve profitability and grow gold production.
Louw Smithh as been appointed as the Chief Operating Officer of the Company, reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, Nikolai Zelenski. Mr. Smith has over 20 years' experience in the mining industry in project execution and operations in senior project management roles. Most recently, he was the Chief Operating Officer of Alacer Gold, leading a successful start-up of the Çopler Gold Mine in Turkey. Prior to Alacer Gold, he spent over 15 years at Gold Fields International in Western Australia, Finland, Bulgaria and Ghana managing a variety of its mines and projects, including such flagship operations as Damang and St. Ives mine complexes.
Mr. Smith holds Degrees in geology and geochemistry, engineering geology and commerce, and Master's Degrees in Mining Engineering and Business Administration. He is a member of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
Martin White has been appointed as the Technical Director of the Company, reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, Louw Smith. Previously, he was the Chief Operating Officer of Aureus Mining Inc. where his main responsibilities included the management of the companies' exploration activities and the completion of the ESIA and Feasibility Study for the New Liberty gold project. He has 20 years' experience in both technical and operational roles in such companies as Ashanti Goldfields, JCI and IMC consulting.
Mr. White holds a degree and PhD in Mining Engineering from the University of Nottingham.
Philip Lodewyk Engelbrecht has been appointed as the Director of Metallurgy, reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, Louw Smith. Mr. Engelbrecht is a professional Metallurgist with over 15 years' experience in optimising and managing multiple ore processing plants in remote locations in Peru, Ghana, South Africa and Australia. Most recently, he was the Vice President and Head of Metallurgy at Gold Fields International, Australia.
Mr. Engelbrecht holds a Higher National Diploma in Extractive Metallurgy from Vaal Triangle University of Technology, Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng, South Africa. He is a member of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration and Canadian Institute of Metallurgists.
Matthew Wilcox has been appointed as the General Director of Lefa Mine in Guinea, reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, Louw Smith. Mr. Wilcox joined Nordgold in October 2010. He was responsible for the engineering design, construction and subsequent launch of Nordgold's Bissa mine in Burkina Faso, which was delivered on time and on budget and is already exceeding production forecasts.
Mr. Wilcox holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in applied Chemistry and a Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Chemical, both from Curtin University in Western Australia.
Nikolai Zelenski, Chief Executive Officer of Nordgold, said:
"It is a sign of the exciting long term growth potential of Nordgold that we have successfully attracted such a strong caliber of talent to the business. I am confident that we have in place a management team that will enable us to both successfully manage our increasingly international portfolio through the current market challenges and also to deliver on our long term strategic growth plans."
Louw Smith, newly appointed Chief Operating Officer of Nordgold, said:
"There is clearly an outstanding and diverse wealth of experience across the Company, and I look forward to working with all my new colleagues to deliver on Nordgold's growth objectives. Nordgold already has a strong focus on safety, a robust development pipeline and a proven ability to build new projects. My key priorities include investing effort into the safety of our employees, increasing the quality and technical support of our immediate and long-term plans, and improving productivity and capital utilisation at our mines. I look forward to contributing to the future success of the Company."
For more detailed biographies, please see www.nordgold.com
About Nordgold
Nordgold (LSE: NORD) is an international pure-play emerging-markets gold producer established in 2007. Nordgold has expanded rapidly through acquisitions and organic investment, achieving a rate of growth unmatched in the industry during that period. In 2012, Nordgold's gold production was 717 Koz. The company operates nine mines in Russia, Kazakhstan, Burkina Faso and Guinea. Nordgold has one development project, five advanced exploration projects and a diverse portfolio of early exploration projects and licenses in CIS and West Africa. Nordgold employs over 10,000 workers on two continents.
www.nordgold.com
For further information, please contact:
Nordgold | |
Alexey ShchedrinDirector of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations | Tel: +7 (917) 502 2048 |
Valentina Bogomolova IR Manager | Tel: +7 (916) 474 5996 |
Olga UlyevaPress Secretary | Tel: +7 (916) 510 1411 |
Maitland | |
Peter OgdenJames Devas | Tel: +44 (0)20 7379 5151 |
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain information contained in this press release, including any information as to Nordgold's estimates, strategy, projects, plans, prospects, future outlook, anticipated events or results or future financial or operating performance and production, may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, constitute forward-looking information. Forward-looking information can often, but not always, be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "predicts", "potential", "continue" or "believes", or variations (including negative variations) of such words, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "should", "might", "potential to", or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved or other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. The purpose of forward-looking information is to provide the reader with information about management's expectations and plans. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. All forward-looking statements made or incorporated in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements.
Forward-looking information involves significant risks, assumptions, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual future realities or anticipated events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking information and, accordingly, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or realities. Material factors or assumptions that were applied in formulating the forward-looking information contained herein include the assumption that the business and economic conditions affecting Nordgold's operations will continue substantially in their current state, including, without limitation, with respect to industry conditions, general levels of economic activity, market prices for gold, competition for and scarcity of gold mine assets, achievement of anticipated mineral reserve and mineral resource tonnages or grades, ability to develop additional mineral reserves, acquisition of funding for capital expenditures, adequacy and availability of production, processing and product delivery infrastructure, electricity costs, continuity and availability of personnel and third party service providers, local and international laws and regulations, foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates, inflation, taxes, and that there will be no unplanned material changes to Nordgold's facilities, equipment, customer and employee relations and credit arrangements. Nordgold cautions that the foregoing list of material factors and assumptions is not exhaustive. Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of Nordgold and there is no assurance that they will prove correct. The risks and other factors that may cause actual future realities or anticipated events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking information include, but are not limited to Nordgold's ability to execute its development and exploration programs; the financial and operational performance of Nordgold; civil disturbance, armed conflict or security issues at the mineral projects of Nordgold; political factors; the capital requirements associated with operations; dependence on key personnel; compliance with environmental regulations; estimated production; and competition.
Actual performance or achievement could differ materially from that expressed in, or implied by, any forward-looking information in this press release and, accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking information. Further, any forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and Nordgold does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking information to reflect information, events, results, circumstances or realities after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by applicable Canadian securities laws. All forward-looking information contained in this press release is qualified by such cautionary statements. New risk factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all of such risk factors and to assess in advance the impact of each such factor on Nordgold's business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual realities to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking information.
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