JSE- and ASX-listed metals explorer and developer Orion Minerals has announced the appointment of Thomas Borman as the company’s incoming nonexecutive chairperson.

Borman will be appointed as director and chairperson by the Orion Minerals board following the conclusion of the company’s AGM on November 26. He will hold office as director until the 2027 AGM, when he will stand for re-election.

Orion says Borman’s appointment represents an important step in the company’s board succession and renewal process as it enters a pivotal phase in its growth, transitioning from project development towards mine construction and production.

Borman is an experienced global mining executive who spent more than 11 years with global diversified miner BHP in senior management positions, including roles in corporate finance, strategy and business development. He subsequently joined the executive team at Warrior Coal Investments, which established and consolidated the portfolio of assets that became the Optimum Group of companies.

The company adds that Borman has a strong understanding of Orion’s assets and strategy, having previously served as a nonexecutive director at the company from April 2019 to October 2023 and that since stepping down, he had substantially increased his investment in Orion and is currently the company’s largest shareholder, with an interest of 14.3% in the company’s issued shares.

“With the company advancing rapidly towards mine construction and production, with the backing of global diversified mining company Glencore, I believe Orion is entering a very exciting period in its development,” Borman says.

To improve independent oversight and as part of the board succession process, Orion independent nonexecutive director Godfrey Gomwe will be appointed as the company’s senior independent nonexecutive director following the conclusion of the company’s AGM.

Gomwe has served on Orion’s board since April 2019 and also chairs the company’s audit committee.

Borman succeeds Orion’s longest-serving chairperson Denis Waddell, who will retire at the conclusion of this year’s AGM after an almost 18-year tenure.

“I know that I leave Orion in great shape, with two outstanding copper assets combined with a highly prospective exploration portfolio in the Northern Cape, a near-term pathway to production and a remarkable and growing team – with the capability and the vision to take the company to the next level,” Waddell says.