Team - BacTech

Team Biographies

Ross Orr | President & CEO

Ross Orr initially brought BacTech Mining Corporation to Canada from Australia in 1997 and was instrumental in the success of the Company’s IPO. He sat on the board as an outside Director until taking the role of President and CEO in 2004. Following completion of the Plan of Arrangement in December 2010 which split BacTech Mining into two new companies, REBgold Corporation and BacTech Environmental Corporation, Mr. Orr assumed the position of President & CEO of BacTech Environmental.

David Tingey | Chief Operating Officer

An experienced manager and sustainability professional who has developed and built on-site capabilities across global operations for Rio Tinto, Walter Energy, Bluestone Resources, New Pacific Metals, Global Alumina, CCC Construction and Western Coal, David joined BacTech as COO at the start of 2022 with a track record of delivering and capitalizing on positive change at site operational levels, all complemented by sustainability best practices and extensive construction expertise.

Louis R. Nagy | Chief Financial Officer & Corporate Secretary

Louis has served as CFO of BacTech for more than a decade. A Chartered Accountant with over 28 years of professional service and industry experience involving financial and management reporting, treasury and cash management, reorganizations, IT and system implementations and investment banking, he has held various finance and accounting roles, including Chief Financial Officer within small to medium sized private and public companies.

Dr. Paul C. Miller | Vice President, Technology & Engineering

Dr. Miller has over 25 years’ industrial experience in bioleaching and commercial applications. Paul joined BacTech Australia in 1996 and has since been responsible for all technical aspects of projects, from initial test work and management of studies through to project design and execution. He currently oversees all BacTech testing work conducted at ALS Laboratories in Perth, Australia. Paul first began evaluating bioleaching against competing technologies in the mid-1980’s, supporting worldwide contracting activities with an emphasis on refractory gold projects throughout his career.

Kate Castro | VP Environmental

Professional with more than 16 years of experience heading Environmental and Sustainability Management in International companies of the Mining and Oil sector that operates in Ecuador, from its development in the initial phase, to the start-up and operation of the projects with best environmental practices and compliance with standards. Master's degree in Safety, Health, and Environment from Universidad de Huelva (Spain), and undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering and member of the Ecuadorian Energy Chamber. Experience establishing relationships with government authorities, implementing Environmental and Social Performance Standards, and sustainable management plans with a clear focus on obtaining results, aligned to the strategic management of the companies. Kate joined BacTech in early 2022 successfully leading all the permitting processes required for the start-up of the project in Ecuador, as well as participating in the committee for the Sustainable Bond Framework certification, with significant input and professionalism.

The Hon.Tim Lewin | Director, Chairman of the Board

Tim is a former Commodities Trader from London, England with more than thirty-five years of industry and management experience. Tim’s trading knowledge began on the floor of the Commodity Exchanges in London before broadening over time to encompass most physical commodities, including gold and LME-traded metals. In 1992 his proprietary company was one of the first to be engaged by the UK Government and sent to the post-Soviet Union to lend support on commodity trading to the “economy in transition”. In the past, Tim served on the Bank of England market monitoring committee and has been a member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments since its creation in the late 1980s.

Donald A. Whalen | Director

Donald is the former Executive Chairman of High River Gold Mines Limited (1992-2008), which owned and operated the New Britannia Mine (now Snow Lake Mine). Prior to this he spent 29 years with IBM Canada Ltd. He is the past Chairman of the Canada Eurasia Russia Business Association (1998-2008), and he was Co-Chair of the Canada Russia Business Council (2004-2006). In addition to BacTech, he currently sits on the boards of Pancontinental Gold Corp. and Roscan Minerals Corporation.

Jay Richardson | Director, Head of Audit Committee

Jay Richardson is a retired Partner of KPMG (UK) and Clarkson Gordon Arthur Young (Canada and Singapore)(now Ernst & Young). Since his retirement from KPMG in 1993 his principal occupation has been as Managing Partner of James A. Richardson & Partner, a boutique firm of company doctors undertaking engagements focused on business problems, often involving Interim Management, frequently as Interim CEO including of listed public companies. As well, he has served as Board Chair or member and/or Audit Committee Chair or member of over a dozen listed public companies most significantly including Chairman of the Argus Corporation and Interim CEO of Liberty Mines. He has served on the Board of over a dozen charitable organizations, presently including the Textile Museum of Canada, RiverBrink Art Museum, Life Saving Therapies Network and Craft Ontario and chairs the Weir Foundation.

W. Walter Cimowsky | Director, Member of the Audit Committee

Walter is a founding partner and director of Ocean Partners Holdings Limited, a privately held company active in the global physical trading and marketing of copper, zinc, lead and precious metal concentrates. Ocean Partners provides or arranges financing for small/medium sized mining projects, and currently holds equity positions in mines located in Canada, Mexico and Turkey.

Jay L. Naster | Director, Member of the Audit Committee

Jay is a partner with Brauti Thorning LLP in the criminal and regulatory law group focused on white-collar criminal and regulatory litigation and investigations. Prior to this, Jay served as senior litigation counsel at the Ontario Securities Commission, conducting criminal prosecutions and regulatory hearings pursuant to the Securities Act. Earlier, he served as Crown counsel with the Crown Law Office. Jay is a member of a number of the Advocates Society and the Canadian Bar Association.

Bernardo Brito Rodriguez | Country Manager - Ecuador

Bernardo Brito initially introduced BacTech to Ecuador in 2016. Bernardo owns and operates Geostrat S.A., a Quito-based natural resource services company. From 2015 to 2017, he was employed by metal trading companies looking to develop their mineral concentrates business in Ecuador. Bernardo holds an MSc in Metals and Energy Finance from the Royal School of Mines, UK, and a BA in Economics from Reed College, USA.

Steve Roebuck | Consultant

Steve Roebuck has over 25 years of experience in the mining and exploration industry including open-pit and underground mine operations. Steve has held senior management positions with junior exploration companies and small junior production companies. In addition, he has capital market expertise including M&A strategies, junior financing (over $10 M), investor relations and marketing and is currently the President and CEO of Avidian Gold Corp.

Oscar A. Alvarado | Sustainability and Communications Advisor

Oscar is an interdisciplinary environmental professional with a technical background in hydrology and environmental science. From water resource management to sustainable policy-making, Oscar brings a comprehensive understanding of environmental well-being and sustainability to the team. His international experience includes managing the environmental department of a gold-producing mine operation in Armenia, undertaking research projects on behalf of local and multi-national institutions and developing environmental business opportunities throughout the Americas.

Andrew Taunton | Strategic Advisor

An active business executive and resident of Ecuador for the past 30 years, Mr. Taunton currently oversees the SolGold Ecuadorian group of companies which hold mineral exploration properties throughout the country, including the world class recognized Cascabel / Alpala copper gold project. Mr. Taunton’s extensive business and government relations experience in Ecuador includes establishing petroleum service activities as an entrepreneur, representing multiple international aviation parts and services suppliers including Pratt and Whitney Canada, holding senior management team roles in physical security and crisis management in the petroleum and mining industries and leading the initial stages of planning for the transition of all stakeholders to Quito’s new airport. Andrew was COO for a TSX listed junior explorer with central Ecuador exploration activity and Security Manager for Kinross Gold Corporation’s Fruta del Norte project in Ecuador and their Tasiast gold mine in Mauritania. His voluntary service has included being the President of the British Ecuadorian Chamber of Commerce, one of the Founders of the British School in Quito and a Consular Agent over many years for the British Embassy. He also currently sits as a Director of the Ecuadorian Chamber of Mining. Andrew was awarded the title of Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for his service and international liaison activity following the 2016 earthquake which hit Ecuador.

Dr. Nadia Mykytczuk | Strategic Advisor

A seasoned research scientist focused on mine waste microbiology and the development of applications for bioleaching and bioremediation, Dr. Mykytczuk will work closely with the BacTech scientific team to help support pilot plant testing efforts in addition to exploring other novel uses of the Company’s technology. Dr. Nadia Mykytczuk is currently the interim CEO and President of MIRARCO in Sudbury, Canada, a leader in the development and deployment of innovative solutions responding to the needs of the mining industry. Regarded as one of Canada’s top experts in biomining and bioremediation, she has worked for 15 years in the field of mine waste microbiology and the development of applications for bioleaching and bioremediation. From 2016 to 2021, she held the role of Industrial Research Chair in Biomining, Bioremediation, and Science Communication at Laurentian University. Dr. Mykytczuk is a graduate of Laurentian University with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Adaptation to Environmental Stressors in Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, and Carleton University with Bachelor of Science (BS) in Environmental Science.

Stevie Gamboa | Strategic Advisor

Mr. Gamboa is a lawyer with 20+ years experience working in the Strategic Sectors (mining, oil, and energy) in Ecuador. He is the former CEO of the National Mining Company of Ecuador and a member of the Board of the Mining Regulation and Control Agency. Mr. Gamboa currently directs the Natural Resources Unit at GSG Consulting and is also the Coordinator of the Industry Group in the EITI-ECUADOR initiative and Director of the digital portal elmonominero.com, Additionally, Mr. Gamboa is a member of the Iberoamerican Association of Energy Law ASIDE and is part of the Environmental Committee of the Chamber of Mining of Ecuador. Presently practicing law, he has been an advisor to the Ministries of Strategic Sectors and Mining and has represented the Ecuadorian mining sector in different international events.

BacTech Team

The People Behind the Mission