In other changes to the management, Gloucester will appoint Noble Group global head of mining Tim Crossley as deputy CEO of the company and ex-BHP Queensland Coal operations manager Rick Gazzard as a special advisor to the board.

“The board is very pleased that Brendan and Tim have accepted these roles,” Gloucester chairman James MacKenzie said.

“They make a great team and provide complementary strategic skills and experience for Gloucester to enhance our record of operational excellence and position the company for future growth.”

As CEO of Donaldson Coal, McPherson oversaw the approval and development of three mines within the Donaldson mining complex.

Prior to joining Donaldson Coal in 1999, McPherson was the chief finance officer of Multinet Gas and Ikon Energy.

He also worked with the Gas & Fuel Corporation of Victoria, the State Bank of Victoria and the Electricity Trust of South Australia.

A former environmental scientist, Crossley is a mining executive with cross-commodity experience in metallurgical coal, manganese and iron ore.

He is a former president and chief operating officer of BHP Billiton Iron Ore Western Australia, and general manager and director of Groote Eylandt Mining, Northern Territory.

Crossley has established relationships with all major global steel mills, having worked with them across various joint venture situations.

Most recently he was manager carbon steel materials and coal executive general at Hancock Prospecting.

Tudor was responsible for establishing a platform for growth through the recent acquisition of half of the equity in the Middlemount project and achieved planning approval for the Duralie extension project.

Crossley will take up a role within Noble Resources as managing director and strategy senior vice-president and become an alternate on the Gloucester board.