Newmont (NYSE: NEM, TSX: NGT, ASX: NEM) announced on Friday it has promoted its group head of exploration Francois Hardy to the position of chief technology officer (CTO), in what it calls a
pivotal moment” in the company’s history.

In this new role, Hardy will be tasked with looking for new ways to enhance the company’s operations through innovation and new technologies, Newmont said. As the latest addition to Newmont’s executive team, he will be based at company headquarters in Denver and will assume the CTO role on May 1, 2024.

Hardy brings more than 30 years of technical and operational experience in the mining industry. He first started with Newmont in 2002, and has since held several roles including managing director of Africa, general manager of the Tanami mine in Australia, and most recently, SVP of exploration.

Before joining Newmont, he held executive positions at Avmin Ltd. and De Beers Consolidated Mines.

Hardy will take over from interim CTO Dean Gehring, who currently also serves as Newmont’s EVP and chief integration officer but will be leaving the company in July. The CTO role was previously held by Aaron Puna, former chief executive of Anglo American Chile.

“Francois is a strong leader with deep technical experience and a demonstrable track record of improving operating performance. His appointment will further strengthen Newmont’s executive leadership team, adding valuable technological expertise which will be central to our ongoing success as a business,” Newmont CEO Tom Palmer stated in a news release.

Hardy graduated from the Technikon Witwatersrand (now University of Johannesburg) with a BSc in Mine Engineering and received his National Higher Diploma in Metalliferous Mining from the University of Johannesburg.

Source: MINING.COM – Read More