Private equity metals and mining investment advisory Appian Capital has appointed Danny Malchuk as a senior adviser, based in Santiago, Chile, to provide guidance during the sourcing, due diligence and execution process, with a focus on the Americas.

“Danny is a great addition to Appian as we start 2022 and look to extend our presence across the Americas. He brings deep-rooted experience of leadership, operations and commercial transactions with major mining companies, while his strong network will be extremely beneficial for our sourcing, due diligence and execution capabilities.

"I am looking forward to working with Danny and, following a strong 2021, am very excited about Appian’s future,” said Appian founder and CEO Michael W Scherb.

North and South America are key markets for the company, which has offices in Canada, Brazil and Peru. In recognition of its work across the region, news and analysis company Private Equity International shortlisted Appian as Private Equity Firm of the Year in Latin America in December 2021.

In October 2021, Appian also sold its Brazil-based portfolio companies Atlantic Nickel and Mineração Vale Verde to Sibanye-Stillwater for $1-billion and an additional 5% net smelter return royalty on production from the Santa Rita underground expansion.

Malchuk is a seasoned resources executive who, prior to joining Appian, had a longstanding career at BHP and a stint at an investment bank providing advisory in the metals and mining industry. Most recently, he was the president of operations for Minerals Americas, leading BHP’s operations in the Americas, having previously served in several other roles at the business. This included president of copper; president of aluminum, manganese and nickel; president minerals exploration; and strategy and development VP.

During his career, Malchuk has led operations and commercial transactions across ten different commodities. He has lived and worked in Chile, the US, Singapore and Australia and conducted business in 20 countries.

He has extensive exposure to publicly listed board dynamics, having served as a member and chair of boards of various joint venture companies in Australia, Africa and the Americas, as well as of public and private entities and industry associations.

“It is a fantastic time to join Appian, as the business continues to be recognised as a market leader for metals and mining in the Americas. I have long admired the company’s work in the region, in particular in various countries across South America, and am looking forward to supporting the business and advising Michael and the wider team during the investment process,” Malchuk said.