This week’s Talent Tuesday brings a roundup of top-level appointments across the majors and juniors as July ushers in a wave of leadership reshuffling, with companies positioning for their next phase of growth.
Northern Star Resources (ASX:NST) has announced the appointment of Suresh Vadnagra as managing director and CEO, effective 5 October 2026, succeeding Stuart Tonkin.
Vadnagra is a global mining executive with over 25 years of leadership experience spanning strategy, operations, major projects, transactions, business transformation, and enterprise leadership.
He currently serves as head of Glencore (LON:GLEN) Nickel and Zinc Industrial Assets, leading its global portfolio of over 25 operations across Australia, North America, Asia, and Europe.
Vadnagra was also previously the chief technical and projects officer at Newcrest, guiding the company’s major projects, technical teams, and technology, overseeing the company’s growth pipeline.
Chairman Michael Chaney AO says the company is pleased with Vadnagra’s appointment.
“Suresh is an accomplished mining executive with the experience and capabilities to unlock the full potential of our assets and our people — from ramping up [Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines], progressing [Hemi Development Project], and optimising all of our assets,” Chaney says.
The company has also announced the appointment of Michael Ashforth to succeed Michael Chaney AO as chairman, effective following the 2026 Annual General Meeting in November. Chaney had previously advised shareholders and the board in 2023 that this would be his last term.
Ashforth has nearly 30 years of experience in law, investment banking, and corporate advisory, including as a partner at Freehills and a managing director with Gresham Partners. He is also the director of the Wunan Foundation, a non-profit organisation in Australia working to empower and support Aboriginal people in the East Kimberley region, Western Australia.
Northern Star Resources is a global-scale gold producer with three production centres, operating in Western Australia and Alaska.
Andean Silver elevates Matthew Allen as Cerro Bayo advances
Andean Silver (ASX:ASL) has announced the appointment of Matthew Allen as managing director, effective 1 July 2026, following his appointment as CEO in February this year.
The company notes that this appointment formalises executive leadership at the board level as the company focuses on advancing the Cerro Bayo Silver-Gold Project in Chile towards development.
Allen has led Andean’s strategic direction since joining the company, with a focus on resource growth, development studies, and strengthening its path to production.
Chairman David Southam notes that since joining as CEO, Allen has “rapidly established a clear strategic framework for Cerro Bayo and demonstrated strong execution across our exploration and development activities”.
“The board believes it is the appropriate time for that leadership to be represented at the board level. His experience in advancing resource projects through study, financing, and into production is directly aligned with Andean’s objectives.”
Andean Silver is focused on exploration and development of next-generation silver projects, with a focus on the flagship Cerro Bayo project in Chile.
BOA Resources appoints Graeme Purcell amid transformational expansion
BOA Resources (ASX:BOA) has appointed Graeme Purcell as managing director, effective 1 July 2026, with the company’s previous managing director, Cath Norman, moving to non-executive chair.
Purcell joined the board of the company in 2021. He is a geologist who has been responsible for several important mineral discoveries both in Australia and overseas and brings 30 years of experience across gold, base metals, and strategic minerals.
Purcell has previously held roles at both majors and juniors, with a focus spanning the exploration spectrum to near-mine and in-mine resource development.
Chair Cath Norman says that the appointment comes as BOA “embarks on a new chapter, with our transformational acquisition of the Thaduna and Green Dragon copper deposits and our consolidation of the Neds Creek Project in Western Australia’s Murchison”.
“Graeme has played a valuable role in our board since his appointment five years ago, and our newly bolstered project portfolio offers him the opportunity to use his vast skillset in exploration and discovery to help us further unlock the exceptional upside offered by Thaduna, Green Dragon, and our six high-priority targets across Neds Creek.”
BOA Resources is focused on exploring Western Australia’s untapped critical mineral potential.
Write to Amy Rotman at Mining.com.au
Images: Northern Star Resources, Andean Silver
