Management

Neil Woodyer was a founder and the CEO of both Leagold Mining Corporation and Endeavour Mining. He has an extensive history in the mining sector creating growth strategies, implementing financing plans, and leading management teams. In 1988, Mr. Woodyer founded Endeavour Financial, a successful mining merchant banking and advisory business. In 2009, he devised Endeavour’s growth strategy, and, as CEO, Mr. Woodyer led Endeavour Financial’s transition from a financial company into a mine operations and development company, Endeavour Mining. Endeavour grew through a series of acquisitions and new mine builds to become one of the largest gold producers in West Africa. In 2016, Mr. Woodyer founded and served as the CEO of Leagold Mining, which developed gold mines in Mexico and Brazil. Following the Leagold Mining merger with Equinox Gold Corp. in 2020, Mr. Woodyer took the helm at Aris Gold Corp., and led the company to its merger with GCM Mining Corp. to create Aris Mining Corporation in 2022.

Doug Bowlby has experience implementing corporate growth strategies, including corporate acquisitions and successful mine construction and a wide range of corporate finance initiatives, including debt and equity capital markets financings. Mr. Bowlby was one of the founding executives of Aris Gold in 2021, Leagold Mining in 2016 (acquired by Equinox Gold), and Endeavour Mining in 2009. Prior to these roles, Mr. Bowlby was Managing Director, Research and Analysis at Endeavour Financial, a boutique investment and merchant banking company focused exclusively on the global mining industry. Mr. Bowlby is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a member of the CFA Institute.

Richard Thomas is a mining engineer with 30 years of experience in both the production and technical disciplines. He has worked in diverse areas of the mining world from Central Asia, South East Asia, Southern and West Africa. Prior to joining Aris Gold (now Aris Mining), Mr. Thomas was SVP, Operations with Leagold Mining until it merged with Equinox Gold. Previously, he was the VP Operations and EVP Technical Services for Endeavour Mining, where he was part of the team that established a mid-tier mining company in West Africa. Prior to that he held the role of VP Mining at AngloGold Ashanti for the Continental Africa Region. Mr. Thomas has worked as a mining consultant in a Johannesburg based company and held a directorship for four years in the same company.

Richard Orazietti is a highly experienced financial professional with broad experience across multiple industries including mining, telecom and automotive, with a focus on delivering growth and shareholder value. Prior to joining Aris Mining, he was the CFO at Westport Fuel Systems, Inc., a global cleantech company in the automotive sector, where he led the refinancing of the company’s growth plans of its emissions reducing technology for commercial transportation. Prior to this role, he held senior finance roles with Goldcorp Inc. including SVP, Treasurer and SVP, Controller where he was a key member of management team in several M&A and integrations, including the sale of Goldcorp to Newmont Mining Corporation to create the world’s leading precious metals miner. Prior to Goldcorp he also served as VP, Finance at BCE Inc., Canada’s largest communications company, where he led the financial management of various operating divisions during a period of significant change in the industry, resulting in significant value creation for shareholders. Richard holds an a Global EMBA from IESE Business School, University of Navarra and holds the CPA designation in BC.

Oliver Dachsel has more than 17 years of investment banking experience, advising private and publicly listed corporations and financial sponsors on M&A, shareholder activism and defense, capital structure optimization and capital formation (raising debt and equity capital in public and private markets). Prior to joining Aris Mining in April 2024, Mr. Dachsel was a Managing Director at Jefferies with coverage responsibility for mining companies in the base, battery and precious metals sectors globally. During his investment banking career, Mr. Dachsel has advised on more than $45 billion of completed M&A, debt and equity capital markets transactions, working at Jefferies (2016 – 2023) and Deutsche Bank (2006 – 2016) in New York (2011 – 2023), London (2008 – 2011) and Frankfurt (2006 – 2008). Mr. Dachsel earned his Master’s Degree in Economics and Business Administration at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management and currently serves on the Board of All Hands and Hearts, a charitable organization focused on disaster relief.

Mr. Jimenez has over 15 years of experience in environmental, social, government legal, and corporate affairs in the resource industry. Prior to joining Aris Mining in 2023, Mr. Jimenez held the roles of Corporate Counsel, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Senior Corporate Sustainability Manager and Corporate Affairs Director at Frontera Energy Corp., (Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp.,). In 2019, he became Partner at AVENTTUS SAS, a Corporate Affairs and ESG management firm in Colombia. From 2020 to 2021, Mr. Jimenez served as International Affairs Director at the Colombian Attorney General’s Office in Colombia. Mr. Jimenez is a Lawyer from the University of Los Andes and holds a Master of Laws (LL.M) from the same institution and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from Georgetown University – McDonough School of Business, in Washington, D.C.

Ashley Baker has experience advising public and private companies with the execution of their growth strategy through mergers and acquisitions, and finance initiatives through debt and equity financings. Ms. Baker was called to the British Columbia Bar in 2010 and prior to joining Aris Gold (now Aris Mining) in 2020, Ms. Baker was Vice President, Legal at Leagold Mining until it merged with Equinox Gold. She previously practiced law at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP in the Securities practice group where she gained extensive experience representing publicly listed mining companies with their mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and governance needs. Ms. Baker earned her LLB at the University of Alberta and also holds a Bachelor of Human Kinetics and Master of Science from UBC.

Cornelius (Corné) Lourens is a metallurgist with 30+ years of experience in mining production, consulting and managing operations in South Africa, West Africa, North and South America. Prior to joining Aris Mining, Mr Lourens was SVP Technical Services with Equinox Gold, providing technical and operational guidance and advice to the mines and projects. Previously, he was the SVP Operations of the Brazil mines for Equinox Gold and Leagold Mining. Prior to that, he was the general manager of several mines for Endeavour Mining, during its growth and establishment as a mid-tier mining company in West Africa. Mr Lourens holds a National Higher Diploma in Metallurgical Engineering at the Vaal Institute of Technology, South Africa. He is registered as a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and a qualified person as set out in National Instrument 43-101.

Giovanna Romero has more than 20 years of experience in corporate affairs and sustainability in the resource sector. She has worked both in public and private companies successfully executing ESG strategies that help maintain the social license to operate. Prior to joining Aris Mining in 2022, Ms. Romero worked at the Cerrejón mine as the Social Dialogue Manager, and has also held the roles of Corporate Affairs Director and Social Responsibility and Sustainability Manager at Frontera Energy – Pacific Exploration and Production, Social Responsibility Manager at C&C Energy and has also worked as a consultant for social, communications, and government engagement. Ms. Romero is a lawyer with a Masters degree in Social Responsibility from the University of Barcelona.

Pamela De Mark is a mining geologist with 30 years of experience in mine production, consulting, management, and finance in the Americas, Australia, Africa, and Europe. Prior to joining Aris Gold (now Aris Mining), Ms De Mark was Senior Vice President, Mining Finance with Macquarie Group in Toronto, providing capital solutions to the junior mining sector. Previously she was Director of Mineral Resources with Pan American Silver. Ms De Mark holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Geology from the University of Technology, Sydney. She is a Professional Geologist registered with Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia and leads the Company’s mineral resource and reserve estimates, technical studies, due diligence reviews, and technical public disclosure.