Mastermyne managing director Tony Caruso told ILN that Sykes’ appointment was part of the company’s strategy in 2012 of getting the “right people in the right roles” which includes changes to the technical services and mining services management roles.

“Culturally David is the right guy,” Caruso told ILN.

“His no–nonsense approach is highly regarded by the people in the mines.”

Sykes’ career in the mining industry started in 1978 in the UK where he worked in various project, operational and statutory roles including operator, deputy, overman and under-manager.

He also holds a mine manager’s, under-managers and deputy certificate in the UK and has worked at several underground operations and new mine developments in the Yorkshire and Selby coalfields.

Sykes and his family moved to NSW Australia in 1996. Since his arrival in Australia he gained his Australian 1st and 2nd class manager’s certificate in NSW, 1st class manager’s certificate and SSE examination in Queensland.

Sykes has worked in a number of operational and senior management roles in the coal industry including longwall and development co-ordinator and mine manager at Dartbrook mine and mine manager at both the Kayuga mine project and the combined Dartbrook-Kayuga operation in NSW.

He was also mine manager at Central Colliery and Moranbah North mine, SSE and GM at Moranbah North mine and more recently operations manager with Leighton Mining responsible for two surface coal operations and the underground coal business.

He holds a Diploma in Mining and Mechanical engineering, is a registered Chartered Engineer and a member of the Australian Mine Managers association and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

In other management changes at Mastermyne, Kevin Lonergan has moved to the position of GM services division while Allan Purse has been appointed GM of technical services for the company.

In January Mastermyne appointed John Stuart-Robertson to the newly created position of chief operations officer for the company.