Aurum Resources Ltd (ASX:AUE) has appointed capital markets veteran Richard Simpson as non-executive chairman, effective February 2, 2026.
Current chairman Troy Flannery will step down from the role on the same date and continue as a non-executive director.
Simpson brings more than 40 years’ experience spanning mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, corporate advisory and executive management, including senior roles at Australian and international investment banks and a range of non-executive appointments.
He is currently a non-executive director of Euroz Hartleys Ltd (ASX: EZL) and a founding board member of the Western Australian Parks Foundation. His past roles include executive director at Euroz Hartleys (2020–2024), director/managing director/executive chairman at Hartleys (2003–2020), chairman of the Botanic Gardens & Parks Authority (2002–2022) and a member of the State Emergency Management Committee (2015–2018).
Simpson began his career as a petroleum engineer before moving into investment banking, including roles with NM Rothschild & Sons in London and Salomon Brothers (now Citigroup) in Sydney and Melbourne. He later returned to Perth to join Hartleys’ corporate finance team and advised mining, oil and gas and infrastructure clients. He led Hartleys’ management buyout from ASX-listed HP JDV Ltd in 2003 and the subsequent merger with ASX-listed Euroz Ltd in 2020.
He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Hons) from Curtin University, an MBA from the University of Western Australia and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Capital markets experience welcomed
The board said it welcomed Simpson and expected to benefit from his capital markets and strategic leadership experience as Aurum advances the Boundiali Gold Project and broader growth initiatives.
It also thanked Flannery for his leadership as chairman and said it was pleased he will remain on the board as a non-executive director.
High-grade infill results strengthen Boundiali ahead of resource update
The news comes a day after Aurum reported another set of high-grade gold intercepts from infill drilling at the BDT2 deposit within its flagship Boundiali Gold Project in northern Côte d’Ivoire, with the results supporting continuity of mineralisation ahead of a Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) update due this quarter.
Read more: Aurum hits shallow high-grade gold at Boundiali as resource update nears
The latest assays are part of Aurum’s 100,000 metre infill drilling program at Boundiali, which currently hosts a 2.41Moz gold resource and remains the company’s core development focus.