Appointment of General Manager

1


23
rd
June 2025

Appointment of General Manager
Santana Minerals Ltd (ASX/NZX: SMI, "Santana" or "the Company") is pleased to announce the
appointment of Mr Paul Miles as General Manager of Matakanui Gold Limited, our New Zealand
subsidiary and operator of the Bendigo-Ophir Gold Project (“BOGP”). The appointment is effective
from 1 July 2025. The General Manager will be responsible for the operational readiness of BOGP and
the transition from development to operations. The role includes responsibility for building the
operations team, advancing the mine plan and the safe implementation of that plan on time and on
budget. Once in production, the role directs operational activities, guiding senior management to
achieve mining and processing objectives and ensuring legislative and regulatory compliance.
Mr Miles is a highly experienced mining engineer, holding a Bachelor of Mineral Technology from the
Otago School of Mines. He also holds Site Senior Executive and First Class Mine Manager’s Certificates
of Competence and is a member of both the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM)
and the New Zealand Institute of Directors. Paul brings a wealth of experience across open cut and
underground mine development, having worked with both owner-operator and contractor
organisations. He currently serves on the board of MinEx, New Zealand’s extractive sector health and
safety council, and is a trustee of New Zealand Mines Rescue.
Commenting on his appointment, Mr Miles said:
“I’m excited to be joining Matakanui Gold and its parent company, Santana Minerals, to help bring this
exceptional project into production, delivering on our commitment to shareholders, our team, and the
wider community. I’m especially proud that the Company is majority New Zealand-owned and led,
with over 40% of shares held by Kiwi investors. The project is already creating strong local employment,
and I look forward to contributing to its broader legacy of generating wealth for shareholders and New
Zealanders alike through the NZD$1.5 billion in expected taxes and Crown royalties.”
Santana CEO Damian Spring added:
“We are delighted to welcome Paul to lead the team on the ground as we progress development of
this modern, sustainable mine. We’re making sure this project is safe, environmentally responsible,
and community focused. Paul is a highly respected mining professional with extensive experience both
in New Zealand and internationally, and he brings deep technical capability, leadership, and a strong
professional network which will contribute to our broader ambitions.”
Ends.


This announcement has been authorised for release by the Board.

Enquiries:
Damian Spring
Exec. Director & CEO
dspring@santanaminerals.com

Sam Smith
Exec. Director Corp Affairs & IR
ssmith@santanaminerals.com

Announcement
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