JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Gold exploration and development company Charaat Gold on Monday announced the appointment of COO Robert Benbow as its new CEO, succeeding Dekel Golan, who has been made deputy chairperson of the board.
The company said that Benbow, who assumed the position of CEO with immediate effect, would continue to implement the move to production for the Tulkubash heap-leach project, in Kyrgyz Republic. Prior to joining Chaarat, he served as VP and country manager of Alacer Gold’s Çöpler gold mine, in Turkey.
Benbow was not appointed to the Charaat board.
In his new role of deputy chairperson, Golan would focus on business development. Charaat said he would work closely with chairperson Martin Andersson on the evaluation of new opportunities.
Alexander Novak would remain chairperson of the local company Chaarat Zaav while retiring from the Chaarat board. He will be an adviser to the board on government relations in the Kyrgyz Republic.
Davron Vakhabov will assume day-to-day responsibility for in-country matters both in Bishkek and at site as general director of Chaarat Zaav. Davron, a heap-leach specialist, recently worked at Lydian International's Amulsar gold project in Armenia.
"I am greatly looking forward to working with Dekel, Bob, Alex and Davron in their new roles. Dekel and Alex founded Chaarat and have devoted the last 15 years to developing the company. They have worked with me in recent months to identify their succession at this appropriate time. I am pleased that they will continue to provide the board, and the newly constituted management team, with the benefit of their advice, contacts and experience," commented Andersson.