Appointments January 13, 2023

Belmont-based mining company Mineral Commodities chief financial officer Adam Bick has stepped up as interim chief executive officer after its former CEO Jacob Deysel resigned due to personal reasons. Mr Deysel has resigned citing personal reasons after leading the company for just over a year. He joined Mineral Commodities in 2017 and went on to become CFO in 2019 before being promoted to CEO in 2021. Interim chief executive Mr Bick joined MRC in 2017 and was appointed CFO in 2019.

Pitcher Partners Perth has promoted Ben Macpherson to executive director of the financial services firm’s taxation team. Mr Macpherson started working at Pitcher Partners Perth in 2011 when he spent two weeks at the company for vacation work. He returned 12 months later after completing his degree to fill a full-time position at the company.

Larvotto Resources has appointed Nick Burn as the company’s Perth-based exploration manager. Mr Burn will be coordinating Larvotto’s mineral exploration in Australia and New Zealand when he commences his new role on January 23. Mr Burn previously worked in the Mt Isa region and will be bringing more than 30 years’ experience in the geological and exploration industry to Larvotto.

Melanie Leighton has been appointed as chief executive of Perth-based Titan Minerals. Ms Leighton has more than 20 years’ experience in the mineral exploration industry as a geologist and is the founding director of consulting firm Leighton Geoservices. She has previously held senior management and geological roles at Northwest Resources, Hot Chili and Harmony Gold. Outgoing chief executive Matthew Carr led the company for nine months and will stay on as a part-time executive director for the ensuring quarter to hand-over the role.

Adelaide-based Core Lithium is relocating its head office to Perth, with former PwC Adelaide partner Andrew Forman joining as its interim chief financial officer from February. The company has also appointed former Rio Tinto HSE business partner Melissa Winks to the newly created position of sustainability executive general manager.

Fortescue Metals Group chief financial officer Ian Wells will step down from his role at the end of January, after four years in the position and more than a decade with the company. Mr Wells joined Fortescue in 2010 and held senior executive finance roles, most recently as chief financial officer in 2018. FMG confirmed it was undertaking a process to find Mr Wells’ successor.

Sydney-based Clayton Utz Legal Services has promoted lawyers Stephen Neale and Kate Casellas as partners at the firm’s Perth branch. Mr Neale began his legal career at Clayton Utz in 2005 working as special counsel, according to LinkedIn. Kate Casellas joined the banking and finance team at Clayton Utz in 2010 as senior associate. Both lawyers commenced their new roles on January 1.