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Peter Whittall & Associates, which is based in Wellington, New Zealand, specialises in “consulting across a broad range of technical, safety, commercial and management issues primarily within the minerals industry”, according to his profile on social media website LinkedIn.
Whittall lists his achievement at Pike River Coal as “development of the greenfield Pike River Coal project in New Zealand. During my seven years with Pike River Coal I worked as mine manager, general manager and chief executive developing the mine and company.”
Whittall, who graduated with a bachelor of mining engineering and an MBA from the University of Wollongong, was a 24 year veteran of BHP Billiton Illawarra Coal.
Ward, who was chief executive and managing director of Pike River Coal between May 2007 and September 2010, lists “driving exploration/development projects into production” and communications and media management” as two areas of expertise.
“As chief executive and managing director of New Zealand’s only listed coal company at the time, I took the mine from conceptual design in 1997 to first production in February 2010 and commencement of hydro mining (high pressure water cutting) in September 2010,” he says in his LinkedIn profile.
Ward states that he resigned to seek new challenges and that he displayed following attributes: “Vision and strategy – drove the conceptual design, development and operation of a planned one million tonne pa hard coking coal mine on the West Coast, South Island.
“Funding – led Pike River initial public offer and NZX/ASX listing in 2007. Raised total of $NZ370 million into Pike River (equity and convertible notes including a $US30 million note refinancing). Led Pike River into NZX Top50 index.
“Commercial – remote site without an export transport chain. Negotiated a life of mine transport contract with Solid Energy, saving $NZ6 million per annum and adding $100 million value to the project.
“Lobbying – negotiated with Department of Conservation (DOC) over seven years to secure an access agreement on conservation land. The site gained national recognition as an environmentally friendly mine development.”
