Bezant Resources plc (LON:BZT) has announced that Laurence Read has assumed the role of chief executive officer of the company following the resignation of Dr Bernard Olivier as CEO, both with immediate effect.
The AIM-listed mineral exploration and development company said Dr Olivier's resignation, with the agreement of the board, is to enable him to pursue his other interests and he will be available to consult with the company to assist with an orderly transition of his responsibilities.
READ: Bezant Resources seals acquisition of Colombia gold and platinum licences
The group said Read - an existing executive director of Bezant - will “now lead the implementation of the company's strategy as it seeks to generate value from its existing asset portfolio through project/asset level participation and potential future transactional activity.”
As announced on 6 December 2017, the company is progressing a revised funding and partnering strategy to identify and secure appropriate development funding at the asset level for its gold-platinum production project in Choco, Colombia.
Against a backdrop of steadily improving commodity prices, it is also renewing its focus on realising potential value from the other assets in its portfolio comprising the Mankayan copper-gold project in the Philippines and a copper exploration project in Argentina.
READ: Bezant Resources to step up production in Colombia after grade work
New CEO Read commented: “During 2018, we shall seek to identify means of realising value from our significant reserves and resources at the Mankayan Project and the comprehensive operational and mining related data set for our Choco Project in Colombia, that can be rapidly developed into a full-scale mining operation with the right partners, which I firmly believe is the right course of action.”