Pilbara Minerals recruits Fortescue director

Pilbara Minerals has further bolstered its board with the appointment of Fortescue Metals Group director of operations Nick Cernotta as an independent non-executive director.

Mr Cernotta will hand over his duties at Fortescue to former Rio Tinto manager Greg Lilleyman in January, around the same time he will join the board of the aspiring lithium miner.

It is unclear whether Mr Cernotta will remain involved with the iron ore miner.

"We congratulate Nick on his appointment as a non-executive director of Pilbara Minerals," Fortescue chief executive Nev Power said.

"Nick will complete a thorough handover with Greg Lilleyman during January. As yet, no new roles at Fortescue have been identified."

Mr Cernotta will fill avacancy created when long-serving Pilbara non-executive director Robert Adamson retires early next year.

Prior to joining Fortescue in 2014, Mr Cernotta served as chief operating officer at Perth-based Macmahon Holdings.

He spent about 12 years in various director-related roles at Barrick Gold before that.

Mr Cernotta’s appointment at Pilbara Minerals follows the recruitment of senior mining figure Anthony Kiernan as non-executive chairman in June, and former Atlas Iron boss Ken Brinsden as managing director and chief executive late last year.

“Securing the services of a world-class mining executive such as Nick is a real coup for Pilbara,” Mr Brinsden said.

“Nick’s skills, experience and capabilities speak for themselves in what has been an extremely distinguished career across many different parts of the international resources sector.

“Given his experience, contracts, skill-sets and very valuable Pilbara development and operations experience, he will be an enormously valuable contributor to the Pilbara board over the coming years as we begin construction and mining at Pilgangoora.”

Pilbara shares closed 1.8 per cent lower to 52.5 cents each.