Ausgold Ltd. has appointed Ben Stockdale as CEO as part of a leadership transition as the company advances towards a final investment decision for its Katanning gold project (KGP) in Western Australia.
Stockdale, who joined the firm as CFO in August 2024, will take over as CEO, effective immediately.
He brings over 25 years of industry experience to the helm. His background spans exploration, development, and operational mining, with a particular expertise in the complex debt and equity financing required for large-scale mineral projects.
Current Executive Chairman John Dorward will continue to provide senior leadership during the transition, with plans to move into a Non-Executive Chairman role towards the end of 2026.
“Ben has played an instrumental role in driving the successful progress of the business since joining Ausgold and is ideally placed to lead the company through this next exciting phase of growth,” Dorward said.
Joining the team alongside Stockdale is Reece Olney, who has been appointed General Manager Operations for the KGP.
A seasoned mining veteran with more than 30 years in the sector, Olney’s track record includes a decade managing operations at several Mount Gibson Iron mines and, most recently, serving as General Manager for Fenix Resources’ Weld Range project.
Olney’s immediate focus will be guiding the development team through the construction phase and spearheading operational readiness planning.
The leadership reshuffle comes as Ausgold transitions from explorer to producer.
The Katanning project is shaping out to be a strong gold producer, with mineral reserves of 1.25 million ounces and mineral resource of 2.44 million ounces.