James (Jim) Askew, Chairman of the Board of Directors (appointed March 2007)
Jim Askew is a mining engineer with over 40 years of broad international experience as a Director and/or Chief Executive Officer for a wide range of Australian and international publicly listed mining, mining finance and other mining related companies. He holds a Bachelor of Mining Engineering (Honours) and a Master’s Degree, Engineering Science. Mr. Askew has served on the board of a number of public companies, currently including Evolution Mining Ltd and Syrah Resources Ltd.
Michael (Mick) Wilkes, President and Chief Executive Officer (appointed January 2011)
Mick is a mining engineer with 35 years of broad international experience, predominantly in precious and base metals across Asia and Australia. He has been the President and CEO of OceanaGold Corporation since 2011.
In previous roles he was the Executive General Manager of Operations at OZ Minerals responsible for the development of the Prominent Hill copper/gold project in South Australia and General Manager of the Sepon gold/copper project for Oxiana based in Laos. His earlier experience included 10 years in various project development roles in Papua New Guinea and, at the outset of his career, at Mount Isa Mines in operations and design.
Mick holds a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Queensland, a Master of Business Administration from Deakin University, and is a member of both the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, and the Australian Institute of Company Directors. In addition, he is Chair of the Governance Committee and a member of the Administration Committee of the World Gold Council, and appointed a non-executive director of Kingston Resources Limited in July 2018.
Nora L. Scheinkestel, Non-Executive Director (appointed April 2018)
Nora L. Scheinkestel is an experienced company director with a background as a senior banking executive in international and project financing. She consults to government, corporate and institutional clients in areas such as corporate governance, strategy and finance. She is also an Associate Professor in the Melbourne Business School at Melbourne University and a former member of the Takeovers Panel. Dr Scheinkestel has served as Chairman and Director in a range of companies across various industry sectors including utilities, AMP Limited and its funds management and banking subsidiaries, Mayne Group Limited and Mayne Pharma Limited, Medical Benefits Fund of Australia Ltd, Newcrest Mining Limited, North Limited, Pacific Brands. In 2003, she was awarded a centenary medal for services to Australian society in business leadership.
Dr. Geoff Raby, Non-Executive Director (appointed August 2011)
Geoff W. Raby is a director of OceanaGold (appointed August 2011). Dr. Geoff Raby was Australia’s Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China from 2007 to 2011. Prior to that, he was a Deputy Secretary in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Dr. Raby has extensive experience in international affairs and trade, having been Australia’s Ambassador to the World Trade Organisation (1998-2001), Australia’s APEC Ambassador (2003-2005), Head of DFAT’s Office of Trade Negotiations and Head of the Trade Policy Issues Division at the OECD, Paris. Between 1986 and 1991 he was Head of the Economic Section at the Australian Embassy, Beijing. He has been the Chair of DFAT’s Audit Committee and served as an ex officio member of the Boards of Austrade and EFIC (Export Finance and Insurance Corporation). Dr. Raby is also a non-executive director of Fortescue Metals Group Ltd and Chairman of SmartTrans Ltd, both ASX listed companies. Dr. Raby holds a PhD in Economics and a Bachelor of Economics (Honours) from La Trobe University.
Ian Reid, Non-Executive Director (appointed April 2018)
Mr. Reid is an independent board director for a number of publicly traded and privately held corporations such as Canadian West Bank, Stuart Olsen Inc., Fountain Tire Ltd, Associated Engineering and Voice Construction OPCO ULC.
He has served as a member of the Provincial Audit Committee for the Province of Alberta, on the Board of Governors of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, the Board of Governors for Junior Achievement of Northern Alberta and NWT, and the Boards of Economic Development Edmonton, Alberta Chamber of Resources, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and numerous volunteer organisations.
Mr. Reid held multiple senior and management positions at Caterpillar equipment distributors, Angus Alberta Limited and Finning International Inc. from 1977-1995 before advancing to Vice President, Operations, for Finning (Canada), then appointed President from 1997-2008.
Mr. Reid graduated from the University of Saskatchewan and has completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard. He supports many charities and has been awarded the Alberta Centennial Medal ‘for outstanding service’ to the people and province of Alberta.
Paul B. Sweeney, Non-Executive Director (appointed July 2014)
Mr. Sweeney joined the Board on 30 July 2014, and brings with him substantial international experience across mining and renewable energy industries. An independent business consultant since May 2011, he is an immensely experienced finance and mining executive, and more latterly, company director.
Craig Nelsen, Non-Executive Director (appointed February 2019)
Craig Nelsen is a geologist with over 40 years of experience in the mining business. Craig was Founder, CEO and Director of Avanti Mining. Formerly, Craig was Executive Vice President, Exploration of Gold Fields Limited; Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the former Metallica Resources (now New Gold), and has also held a variety of strategic positions at Lac Minerals Ltd, culminating in Executive Vice President Exploration. Craig currently serves as a Director of Golden Star Resources Ltd.
Craig holds a M.S. degree in geology from the University of New Mexico and a B.A. in geology from the University of Montana