Mining services company Russell Mineral Equipment (RME) has appointed Simon Thompson as Chief Engineer, which is considered a key milestone in its succession plans.
As Chief Engineer, Thompson will oversee the company’s leadership team and has accountability and authority for RME’s engineering globally to advance its technology suite and impact.
Thompson brings more than a decade of experience in the mining machinery original equipment manufacturer sector, including an oil and gas services company. He joined RME in 2018 as global engineering manager, before being promoted to a general manager role.
Thompson says working with RME’s Chief Executive team is a challenge and he looks forward to contributing to the strategic and operational insights.
“It has proven itself to be a company with both the willingness and capacity to cater for those who thrive on making positive change,” Thompson says.
“The engineering team’s innovations are essential for our customers and crucial for maximising mill availability, driving significant safety and commercial benefits industry-wide.”
Since establishing itself 40 years ago, RME has had only two Chief Engineers, Peter Rubie who held the role for over two decades, while founder and Executive Chairman John Russell has held the position more recently.
Russell says Thompson’s accessibility and compelling leadership will ensure he continues developing the imaginations and careers of RME’s engineering team.
“Simon has a mature, whole-of-business perspective, field and industry experience, youth and compassion, and demonstrates his passion for delivering high-performance and technologically progressive products and solutions to our mill operators and refiners globally,” Russell says.
Further, RME entered into a transitional sale agreement with Resource Capital Funds, including an investment from the Australian Government’s National Reconstruction Fund Corporation in November 2024.
Rubie says RME’s plans are key to ensuring the company continues to reach its next level of technological and operational potential, more quickly, as the world strives for a net zero future.
RME is a mill relining systems technology supplier that invents machine systems and service-based solutions for problems encountered in the mining and mineral processing industries.
Russell Mineral Equipment was awarded for Mining.com.au’s inaugural Masters of Mining ‘Excellence in Safety Shield’ in 2024. The shield recognises a company that is committed to ensuring safety, removing risks, or reducing potential worker harm on a project or mine.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Russell Mineral Equipment
