Alex
At Best Startup Canada we track over 100,000 Canadian startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top British Columbia based CEO’ operating in the Natural Resources space. If you think a CEO’ is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.ca.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Michael Outwin
CEO / Founder / Board Member of Jetti Resources
Mike Outwin is co-founder and CEO of Jetti Resources, a technology-driven natural resources company that has developed a novel hydrometallurgical technology to extract metals of value from mineral ores that until now were inaccessible to the mining industry. In addition to Jetti, Mike serves as a Strategic Advisor at GreatPoint Ventures, where he was formerly an Associate Partner, focusing on building and investing in companies at the intersection of biological and physical sciences. Prior to GreatPoint Ventures, Mike was on the corporate strategy team at GreatPoint Energy, the technology leader in catalytic coal gasification.
Follow Michael Outwin:
About GreatPoint Ventures, Jetti Resources: Jetti makes it possible to extract copper from low-grade primary sulfides
Shahram Tafazoli
Founder, President & CEO of Motion Metrics
Shahram Tafazoli is the Founding CEO of Motion Metrics Int’l, a private Canadian corporation dedicated to improving safety and efficiency of terrestrial mining using AI, rugged embedded vision, and cloud computing. Motion Metrics has deployed its innovative solutions in more than 60 large mining operations around the globe, digging copper, iron, gold, diamond, coal, and nickel. Shahram holds bachelor and master’s degrees from Sharif University of Technology in Iran and a PhD from the University of British Columbia (UBC), all in Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) with a focus on robotics and machine vision. He is an Adjunct Professor at the University of British Columbia’s ECE department and has offered various graduate-level courses. He has a passion for technology and has invested in a number of technology startups, including several ventures from Creative Destruction Lab. He is co-inventor of international patents with other engineers from Motion Metrics and recently received the UBC Applied Science Dean’s Medal of Distinction. Shahram has a passion for space technologies and is keen on applying them to terrestrial applications.
Follow Shahram Tafazoli:
About Motion Metrics: Motion Metrics is a Canadian mining technology company that uses artificial intelligence to improve mine safety and energy efficiency.
Simon Ingram
President & CEO of Reservoir Minerals
Dr. Ingram currently serves as President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Reservoir Minerals. Dr. Ingram was a founding director of Reservoir Capital (TSXV: REO) and has 20 years international experience in the exploration and mining industry. He is the founder and principal of a resource services firm, through which he has provided technical and managerial expertise to exploration and mining companies worldwide, throughout the project cycle from early-stage exploration projects to feasibility studies, mine start up and production. Projects that Dr. Ingram has been a consultant and advisor to include; Petropavlovsk Plc (LSE: POG), a London-listed mining and exploration company with its principal assets located in Russia, Anglo American Zambia copper mine production and expansion, Rio Tinto Technical Services for resource definition to mine start up in the Middle East and the resource expansion, mining start up and subsequent sale of a polymetallic mine in Armenia for a private Swiss company. Dr Ingram holds a B.Sc. (Hon) in Exploration and Mining Geology and Ph.D in Mineral Resource Evaluation from Cardiff University.
Follow Simon Ingram:
About Reservoir Minerals: Reservoir Minerals is a mineral exploration company.
Donald R. Lindsay
President and Chief Executive Officer of Teck
Follow Donald R. Lindsay:
About Teck: Teck is a diversified resource company with business units focused on copper, steelmaking coal, zinc and energy.
Paul Benson
President & Chief Executive Officer of SSR Mining
Mr. Benson serves as our President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of our Board of Directors. He has been employed at Silver Standard since August 2015 and brings to the company 30 years of experience in various technical and business capacities. Most recently, Mr. Benson was CEO and Managing Director of Troy Resources Limited. Prior to that, for 20 years he held a number of executive and operating roles in Australia and overseas with BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, and Renison Goldfields. Mr. Benson holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology and Exploration Geophysics and a Bachelor of Engineering in Mining, both from the University of Sydney. He also earned a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment from the Securities Institute of Australia and a Sloan Masters of Science in Management from the London Business School.
Follow Paul Benson:
About SSR Mining: SSR Mining Inc. is a Vancouver-based mining company focused on the operation, development, exploration of precious metal projects.
Leigh Curyer
President, Director & Chief Executive Officer of NexGen Energy
Curyer has over 20 years experience in the resources and corporate sector. Mr. Curyer is the founder, President & Chief Executive Officer of NexGen Energy Ltd. and was previously the Chief Financial Officer and head of corporate development of Southern Cross Resources (now Uranium One). In addition, for three years Mr. Curyer was Head of Corporate Development for Accord Nuclear Resource Management assessing uranium projects worldwide for First Reserve Corporation, a global energy — focused private equity and infrastructure investment firm. Mr. Curyer’s uranium project assessment experience has been focused on assets located in Canada, Australia, USA, Africa, Central Asia and Europe, incorporating operating mines, advanced development projects and exploration prospects. While Chief Financial Officer of Southern Cross Resources (now Uranium One), Mr. Curyer managed the exploration, permitting and feasibility study of the Honeymoon Uranium Project in South Australia, ensuring full compliance with NI43-101 reporting. Mr Curyer has raised over $500 million of equity in North America, US, Europe and Australia. Mr. Curyer is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia.
Follow Leigh Curyer:
About International Consolidated Uranium, IsoEnergy, NexGen Energy: NexGen Energy Ltd is a Canadian based uranium exploration and development company established by Tigers Realm Group.
Robert Eadie
CEO, President & Director of Starcore International Mines
In the past 20 years, Mr. Eadie has been actively involved in public resource companies raising over $100 million dollars for various exploration and development projects around the world. Over the years, Mr. Eadie has built an impressive network of contacts in Europe, North America and Asia and has established a reputation as the catalyst behind various successful start-up resource companies. He brings extensive marketing and public relations expertise to the board and makes executive decisions based on long term sustainable growth. Mr. Eadie advocates open dialogue between management, directors, and shareholders as a key ingredient to success. Mr. Eadie resides in Mexico City. He is a predominant business figure, family man and compassionate community member. Mr. Eadie’s unique past experience as a private business owner reflects his down-to-earth approach to business and dedication to company growth.
Follow Robert Eadie:
About Starcore International Mines: Starcore is a growth-oriented producing mining company.
James Gowans
President and CEO of Arizona Mining
Jim Gowans is President and CEO and a director of Arizona Mining Inc. since January 1, 2016. He was Co-President of Barrick Gold Corporation from July 2014 to August 2015 and was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Barrick Gold Corporation from January to July 2014. He served as managing director of the Debswana Diamond Company in Botswana from 2011 to 2014. He is the former COO and chief technical officer of DeBeers SA (2010), and was the CEO of DeBeers Canada Inc. from 2006 to 2010. He has extensive experience as a senior executive in the mining industry. Jim is the past chair of The Mining Association of Canada. Jim received a bachelor of applied science degree in mineral engineering from the University of British Columbia and attended the Banff School of Advanced Management. He has extensive mining knowledge and perspective on the importance of corporate social responsibility. His human resources experience includes a previous position as vice president, human resources at Placer Dome. Jim was a director of the public company PhosCan Chemical Corp. from 2008 to June 2014, and he served on its compensation committee for the full tenure.
Follow James Gowans:
About Arizona Mining: North West – Carbonate Replacement Zinc, Lead And Silver Exploration Project.
Wendell Zerb
President & Chief Executive Officer of Exeter Resource Corporation
Wendell Zerb is the President & CEO of Exeter Resource Corporation. Wendell Zerb has 25 years combined experience in mining, mineral exploration and capital markets/financial analysis. Prior to joining the financial sector, Wendell Zerb worked for 10 years as a geologist in mineral exploration and mining. Wendell’s experience includes senior positions related to generative mineral exploration through to open pit and underground mining of base and precious metals. In 1996 he joined an established Vancouver based Investment Dealer (PI Financial) as a Mining Analyst. Through 2001 to March, 2005 he was also Vice President of Research and Institutional Sales, and in the latter two years was President and CEO of a wholly owned US subsidiary. In March, 2005 he joined Canaccord Capital as a Senior Mining Analyst, leaving the organization in July, 2012 as Director, Research Analyst, Metals and Mining (Canaccord Genuity Inc). Wendell Zerb obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Alberta in 1986/87 and is a registered Professional Geologist with the Association of Professional Engineers, and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA).
Follow Wendell Zerb:
About Exeter Resource Corporation: Exeter Resource Corporation is a Canadian public company listed on the TSX and NYSE-MKT under the symbols XRC and XRA.
Patrick G. Downey
President And Chief Executive Officer of Orezone Resources
Mr. Downey over 30 years of international experience in the resource industry. Mr. Downey held the position of President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Elgin Mining Inc., Aura Minerals Inc. and previously Viceroy Exploration Ltd. before its acquisition by Yamana Gold Inc. in 2006 for $600 million. Mr. Downey also served as President of Consolidated Trillion Resources Ltd. and Oliver Gold Corporation, where he negotiated their successful merger to form Canico Resource Corp., which was purchased by CVRD in 2006 for over $800 million. He has held numerous senior engineering positions at several large-scale gold mining operations and has also held operating positions at several mining projects for Anglo American Corporation in South Africa. Mr. Downey is a member of the board to a number of resource companies in the mining sector, and he holds a Bachelor of Science (Hon.) degree in Engineering from Queen’s University.
Follow Patrick G. Downey:
About Orezone Resources: Orezone Gold Corporation (ORE:TSX) is a Canadian exploration and development company.
James Anderson
CEO of NuLegacy Gold
Follow James Anderson:
About NuLegacy Gold: NuLegacy Gold is a mining company focused on gold exploration projects.
Jordan Trimble
Director, President & CEO of Skyharbour Resources
Jordan Trimble is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Skyharbour Resources. Mr. Trimble holds a Bachelor of Science Degree with a Minor in Commerce from UBC and he is a CFA® charterholder. He has worked in the resource industry in various roles with numerous TSX Venture listed companies specializing in corporate finance and strategy, shareholder communications, marketing, deal structuring and capital raising. Mr. Trimble has an extensive network of institutional and retail investors as well as resource industry professionals bringing valuable relationships to the Company. He has appeared on BNN several times and has given presentations at numerous resource conferences across North America. Mr. Trimble has completed the Canadian Securities Course and Technical Analysis Course offered through CSI as well as several geology, exploration and mining courses.
Follow Jordan Trimble:
About Rockridge Resources, Skyharbour Resources: Skyharbour Resources (TSX-V: SYH) is a uranium and thorium exploration company.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings