Board of Directors and Executive

Mr Ian Smith was appointed a Non-executive Director in August 2023.

Mr Smith is a highly experienced executive and professional director with more than 40 years’ history working in and leading domestic and international mining and mining services companies.

Mr Smith has held some of the most senior positions in the Australian resources industry, including managing director and chief executive officer for both Orica Limited and Newcrest Mining Limited. His technical, operational and commercial stewardship during his Newcrest tenure was instrumental to the Company’s success – transforming the business into Australia’s largest gold mining company, and elevating Newcrest to one of the largest gold operators in the world.

Mr Smith has held senior and executive positions with Rio Tinto, WMC Resources, CRA Limited and Pasminco. He has previously served on the boards for Australian Mines & Metals Association, Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry and as the Chairman of the Minerals Council of Australia.

Mr Ron Douglas was appointed Non-executive Director to the board in August 2023 and assumed the Chief Executive Officer position in February 2024.

Mr Douglas has extensive experience from a range of both executive and operations roles gained during 40 years within publicly listed global mining, energy, and manufacturing companies.

Mr Douglas adds valuable construction experience to the VHM Board, having been responsible for multiple major projects in both mining and engineering/construction companies. This background brings a wealth of international operations and compliance knowledge, having lived and worked in the Americas, West Africa, United Kingdom, Netherlands, and Australasia.

Mr Douglas has held several board positions for publicly listed companies previously and his experience in capital program delivery and corporate transaction negotiations is highly valued within the VHM team.

Ms Maree Arnason was appointed a Non-executive Director to the Board in August 2023.

Ms Arnason has over 35 years’ experience across the natural resources, energy and manufacturing sectors with companies including BHP, Carter Holt Harvey, Svenska Cellulosa AB and Wesfarmers. She has worked across commodities including copper, gold, iron ore, timber, coal, mineral sands, nickel, and natural gas and gained expertise in strategy, sustainability, risk, corporate affairs, stakeholder relations, transformations, divestments and integrations.

Ms Arnason is a NED of ASX-listed Gold Road Resources and Chairs their Risk and ESG Board Committee, a NED of ASX-listed Ardea Resources Limited and a Co-founder and Director of Energy Access Services, which operates an independent Western Australian-focused digital trading platform for wholesale gas buyers and sellers. Ms Arnason serves on the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) Board, as a WA Division Director, is a member of their National Corporate Governance Committee and is a WA Division Councillor.

With a significant record of serving on Not-for-Profit Boards, Ms Arnason recently retired as Chair of Juniper, one of Western Australia’s largest aged care community benefit organisations and completed her term on the Australian Securities and Investment Commission’s Corporate Governance Consultative Panel.

Ms Arnason holds a Bachelor of Arts from Deakin University and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (FAICD).

Mr Colin Moorhead was appointed a Non-executive Director from 1 July 2024.

Mr Moorhead is an accomplished industry executive with a career spanning over 30 years in the global mining industry, with his foundation mining expertise in Geology. Mr Moorhead has a demonstrated track record of developing value in mining companies through innovation, discovery, project development, and safe, efficient operations.

Prior to his executive board roles, Mr Moorhead was responsible for global exploration and resource development at Newcrest Mining. Mr Moorhead was also Chief Executive Officer of the emerging Indonesian listed producer PT Merdeka Copper Gold (IDX:MDKA) in January 2016 and led the team responsible for the construction and commissioning of the Tujuh Bukit Gold Mine, which proved to be a highly successful asset.

In addition, Mr Moorhead has held a number of industry association governance positions including ex-officio member of the Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC), President of the Board for the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) (2017-2018).  Colin is also the standing Chairman of The Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum, home of the Somerville Collection housed in Bathurst NSW.

Colin is a Fellow and Chartered Professional of the Australasian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy (FAusIMM CP) and a Fellow of The Society of Economic Geologists in the USA (FSEG) and a Graduate of The Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).  Colin also completed The Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School (AMP183 2012).

Mr Don Runge has over 40 years’ project and operations experience in the Mining industry. His with operational and leadership experience in industrial minerals includes the development of the Uley Graphite Project (South Australia).

Mr Runge has previously held executive management positions for Newcrest Mining Limited, including Manager for Ridgeway Underground Project Development (Queensland) and General Manager of Cracow Gold Mine (Queensland).

Over 20 years in senior finance positions primarily in the mining and resource sector for both listed and unlisted companies.

Cameron has a wealth of experience raising capital, financing projects, negotiating offtake agreements, and achieving governance and compliance objectives.

Over 40-year career in the mining industry spans brown coal, black coal, gold, copper, and nickel mining and processing operations around Australia. Over 25 years of those have been spent in supervisory and management roles, responsible for leading operations and maintenance delivery teams.

Bernie is the Chair of the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) – Victoria Division’s Safety & Health Working Group and has held this position for over 15 years.  He is also the Chair of the Cross-Border Industry Taskforce (A joint initiative of the New South Wales, South Australian and Victorian Governments).