Driectorate Change
Change in Managing Director
· Humphrey Hale to step down in-line with Company's transition strategy to producer status
· Former Grange Resources managing director Russell Clark appointed as new managing director
Specialty metals exploration and development company, Wolf Minerals Limited (ASX: "WLF", AIM: "WLFE") ("Wolf" or the "Company") advises that Managing Director Humphrey Hale will step down from his role, effective today, 16 October 2013, and that Russell St. John Clark (55) will become the Company's new Managing Director.
The change in the Company's senior leadership is in line with its transition strategy as Wolf moves from the exploration and development phase of its evolution into mine construction, and eventual production, at its Hemerdon tungsten and tin project in Devon, in southwest England.
Mr Clark will commence his role with the Company with immediate effect. Mr Hale will continue to work with Wolf in a consultancy capacity for a period of three months to ensure an efficient hand-over and transition in the leadership of the company.
Mr Clark is a highly experienced and successful senior resource sector executive, and has more than 35 years experience in technical roles, project management, general management and executive positions at projects in the USA, Africa, Papua New Guinea, and throughout Australia.
He was previously Managing Director of Grange Resources (ASX: GRR), Australia's largest magnetite producer. During his four and a half year tenure with Grange he oversaw its successful merger with Australian Bulk Minerals, plus the completion of pre-feasibility and bankable feasibility studies for Grange's $3 billion Southdown magnetite project. The market capitalisation of the company grew four-fold during his tenure, and posted record profits and cashflow, paying its inaugural dividend in 2011.
Mr Clark was also CEO of South American focused exploration company Azimuth Resources (ASX, TSX: AZH) which was successfully taken over by Troy Resources (ASX, TSX: TRY) in August 2013.
Mr Clark holds a Mining Engineering degree (BSc Hons) from the Royal School of Mines, London, UK and a Graduate Diploma from the Securities Institute of Australia. His prior experience also includes roles with Newmont and Normandy, for a period of eight years, following 18 years at Renison Goldfields. At Newmont he was the Group Executive-Operations responsible for seven gold mines in Australian and New Zealand.
The Company would like to thank Mr Hale for his outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Wolf Minerals in his seven years with Wolf. He was the Company's inaugural Managing Director and oversaw its highly successful IPO and ASX listing in 2007, which saw Wolf become the best performing IPO of the year. He was also responsible for the acquisition of the Hemerdon project and its subsequent growth and development, which culminated in the delivery of a robust Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) in May 2011 and a major funding package to facilitate the project's development.
He leaves his role with Wolf extremely well placed to achieve its corporate objective of bringing the Hemerdon project on line as the world's next major tungsten mining operation.