The appointments, which were made in support of ACT’s international commercialization efforts, are effective immediately.

Barrett replaces Richard Hazell, who has served as chairman since March 2002 and will now be a director of the company.

Sturgess, with ACT since 2008, has more than 22 years of experience in sales, business development and senior management. He will focus on commercialization, cost efficiencies and increasing margins, new markets and global sales.

"We are the first company to bring a standards based Wi-Fi network to underground coal mines [and] we deliver far more than the communications and tracking that coal mines require by law,” Sturgess said.

“We will enable these mines to dramatically increase their productivity and ultimately help them to 'get more out of their mine'. For our investors, this next stage of our company represents substantial growth as we mature from a concept to a commercialized product; I look forward to leading this transition.”

Sturgess will also be made a member of the company’s board of directors.

Hazell said Barrett had been integral to the path ACT had taken in the industry and to the company’s recapitalization.

"Under Steve's leadership, we moulded ActiveMine from only an idea in 2006 to a market-leading technology product today,” he said.

ACT said in August it had appointed Peter Gimon as executive vice-president of finance, chief financial officer and treasurer, effective from September 8.

Gimon replaced Graham Warren, who had been ACT’s part-time CFO since January 2004. A member of the company’s board since May 2006, Warren will continue as a director.