TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – TSX-V-listed project developer True Gold on Monday strengthened its management team by appointing David Laing as COO to oversee the technical completion of construction and the transition into production at the company’s Karma project, in Burkina Faso.
Laing joined True Gold from base metals streaming company Quintana Resources, where he was COO and led the origination and executed stream financing transactions.
He was also one of the original executives of West Africa-focused Endeavour Mining as the group grew from one mine in Burkina Faso, to a 500 000 oz gold producer. Laing was an integral part of the acquisition and integration of three junior gold producers and led the feasibility of a fourth project, in Burkina Faso.
Laing had a technical background as a mining engineer and strong capital market acumen, which would help steer True Gold's growth strategy.
Before working for True Gold, he held senior positions in mining investment banking at Standard Bank in New York, technical consulting at MRDI in California, the Refugio project at Bema Gold and various roles at Billiton, Royal Dutch Shell’s mining business.
Laing held a BSc Mining Engineering (Honours) from the Royal School of Mines, Imperial College, University of London, England.