Appointment of New Managing Director
Brisbane, Oct 4, 2016 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Stanmore Coal Limited (Stanmore or the Company) (
ASX:SMR) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Dan Clifford as Managing Director of the Company. Mr Clifford will commence with Stanmore on 14 November 2016 after completing his duties as Chief Executive Officer of Solid Energy New Zealand Limited.
With the appointment, current Managing Director Nick Jorss will transition to the role of Deputy Chairman, an executive role with a focus on continuing to grow the business.
Mr Clifford has more than 20 years' experience in the coal mining industry and has worked in Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. He has substantial open cut and underground coal mining experience, including responsibility for major dragline and longwall operations under previous employers which include Glencore, Anglo Coal, BHP and Solid Energy.
He was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Solid Energy New Zealand in 2014 when the company was facing significant financial pressures and very difficult market conditions for coal mining companies. Amongst these trading difficulties was the sell-off of non-mining assets as the company transitioned to its core mining activities, and assessment of either a safe re-entry or sealing of the Pike River Mine (an operation that Solid Energy acquired after a significant explosion in 2010). During this period, significant achievements in health and safety and operational efficiencies were reached.
In parallel with running the operations of Solid Energy, Mr Clifford has led the process of an asset sales program. This process has now reached key milestones.
Previously Mr Clifford held the position at Glencore of General Manager of the Ulan Complex, New South Wales and has held roles with Anglo Coal and BHP Billiton in technical, operational and regional management roles.
Neville Sneddon, Chairman of Stanmore, said, "We are very pleased to have secured Dan's services as Managing Director after an international recruitment process and retained Nick's considerable commitment to driving further shareholder value through growth.
"Dan and Nick have complementary capabilities that will allow us to capitalise on the significant operating synergies and mine life options at the Isaac Plains Complex and use it as a stepping stone for further expansion. The successful acquisition and restart of Isaac Plains marks a significant milestone for Stanmore as it has now graduated to become a significant coking coal producer. I would like to personally thank Nick for his commitment and stewardship of the business from its commencement through some challenging market conditions to become the successful producer it is today."
Nick Jorss, said, "Dan brings the skills and operational experience to ramp up production at the Isaac Plains Complex as a low cost supplier of high quality coking coal. Stanmore has come a long way since it was founded in 2008 with considerable growth achieved over the last eight years. As a founder and major shareholder I am extremely pleased to see the team's hard work pay off as we reach production at a time of renewed strength in the coking coal market. I look forward to an ongoing strong involvement with the Company as we continue to seek opportunities to grow the business. It is absolutely the right time for the business to bring in someone of Dan's calibre and operational experience and I look forward to working with him as we grow Stanmore into a significant independent coking coal business."
About Stanmore Coal Limited
Stanmore Coal (ASX:SMR) is an operating coal mining company with a number of additional prospective coal projects and mining assets within Queensland's Bowen and Surat Basins. Stanmore Coal owns 100% of the Isaac Plains Coal Mine and the adjoining Isaac Plains East Project and is focused on the creation of shareholder value via the efficient operation of Isaac Plains and identification of further local development opportunities. Stanmore continues to progress its prospective high quality thermal coal assets in the Northern Surat Basin which will prove to be valuable as the demand for high quality, low impurity thermal coal grows at a global level. Stanmore’s focus is on the prime coal bearing regions of the east coast of Australia.
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