Lawrenson joins Paladin board

Uranium miner Paladin Energy has appointed Cliff Lawrenson as its non-executive chairman, after Rick Crabb's announcement last month he would step down from the role.

Mr Lawrenson is currently non-executive chairman of Pacific Energy, having served in the role for the past nine years, and is a non-executive director of Primero Group.

His previous executive roles include as a director at private consulting company Solution Management for eight years and as managing director of Atlas Iron for nearly two years, where he led the company’s subsequent takeover by a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hancock Prospecting.

Prior to this, Mr Lawrenson was managing director of Avenira (formerly Minemakers) for more than four years and group managing director of GRD (now GRD Minproc) for five years.

He was also the vice-president of Michigan-based CMS Energy from 1997 to 2004.

In his new role, Paladin said Mr Lawrenson would be responsible for reviewing optimisation and cost control initiatives as the company readies itself for an upturn in the uranium selling price.

“Mr Lawrenson brings to Paladin deep expertise in the minerals and energy sectors derived from considerable global experience,” Paladin said.

“Coupled with this is a successful track record of leading strategic direction in companies and executing corporate transactions.”

Former non-executive chairman Mr Crabb joined the company in 1994 as a non-executive independent director, before he was appointed as non-executive chairman in 2003.

“(Mr Crabb) has steered the company through a significant growth phase to become a top five uranium company by production,” Paladin said.

“He was instrumental in the recapitalisation and relisting of the company in 2018.”

Paladin went into administration in 2017 after its creditor Electricite de France demanded repayment of a $US277 million (then $A370 million) debt.

In July this year, Paladin raised $37 million through a placement and share purchase plan to cover costs associated with its African mines.

Paladin shares were up 1.28 per cent to trade at 79 cents per share, as at 4:10pm AEDT.