Governance at a Glance
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Committee Charters
Mayo Schmidt
Mr. Schmidt has served as Executive Chairman of the board of directors since January 2025. Most recently, Mr. Schmidt served as the chairman of the board of directors of VersaCold from May 2021 to August 2022. Mr. Schmidt previously served in a number of roles with Nutrien Ltd. (TSX: NTR), one of the world’s largest fertilizer manufacturers, including as a member and the chairman of the board of directors, as well as the transitional president and chief executive officer for one-year term, from February 2013 to December 2021. Mr. Schmidt was instrumental in the merger of Agrium Inc. and PotashCorp., which resulted in the formation of Nutrien. Mr. Schmidt also served as the president, chief executive officer and a director of Hydro One Ltd. (TSX: H) from 2015 to 2018, during which he led one of the largest IPOs in Canada, executed five acquisitions, and achieved significant cost reductions for Hydro One. Prior to Hydro One, Mr. Schmidt served as the president, chief executive officer and a director of Viterra Inc. from 2000 to 2012, during which he completed 24 acquisitions and transformed Saskatchewan Wheat Pool from a regional cooperative into a major global agriculture and food processing corporation with presence in 14 countries on four continents. Prior to Viterra Inc., Mr. Schmidt held senior management positions at several Fortune 100 companies, including General Mills, Inc., ConAgra, Inc., and ConAgra’s global KBC Trading and Processing Company. Mr. Schmidt has over 30 years of experiences in global agriculture, energy, and supply chain management. Mr. Schmidt received an Honorary Doctorate of Commerce degree in business and a Bachelor of Arts degree in business from Washburn University in 2016 and 1980, respectively.
Matthew Simpson
Mr. Simpson has served as our Chief Executive Officer and a director on our board of directors since October 2014. Mr. Simpson has also been the Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board of directors of Black Iron, Inc., a Toronto Stock Exchange listed iron ore exploration and development company, since October 2010. Prior to joining our Company, Mr. Simpson worked for the Iron Ore Company of Canada (which we refer to as “IOC”), a subsidiary of Rio Tinto plc and Mitsubishi Corp, from 2002 to 2010. At IOC, he held several progressive roles in Business Evaluation, Operations Planning, Continuous Improvement, and, in his last three years, as Mine General Manager. His work with IOC primarily took place at their Carol Lake iron ore deposit in Labrador. Prior to joining IOC, Mr. Simpson worked as a process engineer for Hatch Ltd., designing and debottlenecking metallurgical refineries around the world. Mr. Simpson has extensive experience in mine design, operations and project management. Mr. Simpson holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering, as well as a Master of Business Administration degree, from Queen’s University in Canada.
Deborah Battiston
Ms. Battiston has served as a director on our board of directors since June 2024. Ms. Battiston has served as a director, a member of each of the compensation committee and governance committee, and the chairperson of the audit committee of McFarlane Lake Mining Limited since January 2023, and a director and a member of the audit committee of Savanna Capital Corp since February 2019. Ms. Battiston also has broad experience in the mineral resource mining and production sector, having served as the chief financial officer of a number of Canadian public mineral resource companies that are part of the Forbes & Manhattan, Inc. group of companies, including O2 Gold Inc. from January 2020 to January 2022, Jourdan Resources Inc. from June 2019 to January 2022, Q-Gold Resources Ltd. from June 2019 to January 2022, QMX Gold Corporation from September 2003 to September 2020, Sulliden Mining Capital Inc. from November 2014 to June 2020, and Allana Potash Corp. from December 2007 to January 2017. In particular, as the chief financial officer of Allana Potash Corp., she was involved in multiple equity raises for Allana, acquisitions by Allana of significant mining assets, including Nova-Ethio Potash Corporation, and the subsequent sale of Allana to Israeli Chemical Ltd., which is one of the largest potash producers in the world. Additionally, Ms. Battiston has over 35 years of experience in financial management, 24 years of which are in the public company sector, during which she served as the chief financial officer of a number of other Canadian public companies, including ARHT Media Inc. Ms. Battiston is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) of Canada and holds an “Institute of Corporate Director- Director” (ICD.D) designation from the Rotman School of Management of University of Toronto. Ms. Battiston holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Guelph in Canada.
Christian Joerg
Mr. Joerg is Chief Executive Officer of VA Intertrading Aktiengesellschaft (VAIT), Austria's leading trading company. Most recently, Mr. Joerg served as Vice President, Trade, SALIC (Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company) and was previously head of Agriculture Supply Chain Investments and Portfolio Management responsible for the development and execution of Saudi Arabia’s global food security strategy. Previously, Mr. Joerg served as CEO of MAG Commodities (2013-2016), Vice President and Managing Director for Viterra's Europe, Middle East and Africa operations (2008-2013), Executive Director of Commodity Trade Finance at UBS (2005-2008), and Vice President and Managing Director of Collateral Management at SGS (1998-2005).
Mr. Joerg holds degrees from Dr. Räbers Business College in Zürich and the Agricultural College Strickhof. He is multilingual, speaking German, English, French, and Dutch.
Brett Lynch
Mr. Lynch has served as a director on our board of directors since June 2024. Mr. Lynch currently is the Executive Chairman of Ionic Rare Earths Limited (ASX: IXR). Prior to Ionic Rare Earths, Mr. Lynch held various executive positions and director roles at several leading resources companies, including as the Chief Executive Officer and a managing director of Sayona Mining Limited from July 2019 to August 2023, the Chief Executive Officer and an executive director of Valley Longwall International Pty Ltd from November 2008 to July 2018, and a managing director of Australia of Schenck Process Pty Ltd. from July 2005 to June 2008. Mr. Lynch has over 30 years of experience in the global mining industry. Mr. Lynch received a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Mining (Honours) from the University of Melbourne and a Graduate Diploma of Business in Accounting from Monash University. Mr. Lynch also received a Company Director Diploma from the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Hon. Pierre Pettigrew
Mr. Pettigrew has served as a director on our board of directors since December 2010. Mr. Pettigrew has also been an Executive Advisor, International at Deloitte & Touche, LLP since October 2006, and has served as the chair of the board of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada since July 2019. Mr. Pettigrew also serves as a director on the boards of directors of several public companies. Prior to Deloitte & Touche, from January 1996 to February 2006, Mr. Pettigrew led a number of senior departments in the Government of Canada, and, among other positions, he has served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister for International Trade, Minister of Human Resources Development, and Minister of International Cooperation. Mr. Pettigrew was also part of the Government of Canada’s Special Envoy for the Canada European Union Trade Agreement. Mr. Pettigrew holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the University of Quebec in Trois- Rivieres in Canada and a Master of Philosophy degree in International Relations from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, and is a graduate of the Directors Education Program at the Rotman School of Management of the University of Toronto in Canada.
Peter Tagliamonte
Mr. Tagliamonte has served as a director on our board of directors since June 2024. Mr. Tagliamonte currently is an independent director of Belo Sun Mining Corp. (TSX: BSX.TO), where he also served as the Chief Executive Officer and President from February 2010 to May 2024. Prior to Belo Sun Mining, Mr. Tagliamonte was the Chief Operating Officer of Desert Sun Mining Corp., where he was instrumental in transforming the Jacobina Mine in Brazil into a substantial 4,200-tonne output per day operation. Prior to Desert Sun Mining, Mr. Tagliamonte held various executive roles at several leading mining companies, including as the Chief Executive Officer of Sulliden Gold Corp. Mr. Tagliamonte has over 25 years of experience in the global mining industry. Mr. Tagliamonte received a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Mining Engineering from Laurentian University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Ivey Business School of Western University.