[Ferro-Alloys.com] Australian Vanadium Ltd (ASX:AVL) has made two strategic appointments as part of a board evolution as it moves into a critical period in the lifecycle of the Australian Vanadium Project in Western Australia.

As part of the restructuring, the company has tapped Miriam Stanborough and Peter Watson to join the board as non-executive directors with immediate effect, while executive director Leslie Ingraham has advised his intention to resign from the board in due course.

Chemical engineering and mining nous

The two new directors bring a wide range of skills, including chemical engineering and mining project development experience.

“I am delighted to welcome Miriam and Peter to AVL as we evolve the Board of Directors to include the skills required to bring the Australian Vanadium Project into production,” chair Cliff Lawrenson said.

“Both candidates bring deep knowledge and understanding of mining projects and I am confident they will complement the board’s competency as it steers the company through this exciting period of growth.”

“Ms Stanborough is a chemical engineer with more than 20 years of experience in the mineral processing industry across a range of commodities. She has held senior roles at Monadelphous, Iluka Resources, Alcoa (NYSE:AA) and WMC Resources.

"Her skill base spans innovation and technology, technical development, production management, project management, business improvement and people and culture."

Stanborough wears many hats – she is currently a non-executive director of Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS) and BCI Minerals Ltd (ASX:BCI), as well as chair of the Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia (MRIWA), deputy chair of the Northern Agricultural Catchments Council (NACC) and a director of Scouts WA.

“I am delighted to join the high-calibre team at Australian Vanadium at this exciting juncture,” she said. 

Global energy transition

“Vanadium has an important role to play in the global energy transition and the company’s ambitions for involvement in the vanadium value chain from mining through to battery storage shows a commitment to adding value to Western Australia’s natural endowment of this critical element.”

Watson is also a chemical engineer, with 40 years of experience in senior technical, project and management roles, in addition to corporate experience running ASX-listed companies. He has significant board-level experience, particularly regarding safety, governance, financial reporting, risk management and strategy.

Watson is currently a non-executive director of Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX:PDN), New Century Resources Ltd (ASX:NCZ) and Strandline Resources Ltd (ASX:STA).

“It is a privilege to join the AVL board at a time when the work by the team to date has positioned the company well to respond to the building momentum in Critical Minerals and the need for sustainable large-scale energy storage,” Watson said.

“I look forward to working with the board and management to help bring the outstanding Australian Vanadium Project opportunity into production and leverage the ownership of VSUN Energy.”

• [Editor:tianyawei]