Michael Vitton to Join Board of Western Copper and Gold
Michael Vitton to Join Board of Western Copper and
Gold
VANCOUVER
,
April 27, 2020
/CNW/ - Western Copper and Gold Corporation ("Western" or the "Company") (TSX:
WRN; NYSE American: WRN) announces that recently announced strategic investor,
Michael Vitton
, has agreed to
stand for election as director and has been added to the nominee slate.
"We are very pleased that Mr. Vitton has agreed to join our board," said
Dale Corman
, Executive Chairman of
Western. "Casino, which is recognized as one of the largest undeveloped gold and copper assets in the world, is
moving into a critical point of its lifecycle. The recent high-grade gold discovery and identification of additional
porphyries have re-defined the project and Mr. Vitton's network and skillset will be additive as we move the Casino
project forward."
ABOUT
MICHAEL VITTON
Mr. Vitton is the former Executive Managing Director, Head, US Equity Sales, Bank of Montreal Capital Markets
(BMO Capital Markets) where he originated and placed more than USD
$200 billion
through public and secondary
offerings and M&A transactions across all sectors.
In the metals and mining sector, Mr. Vitton has acted as seed investor, lead/co-lead underwriter or in a M&A
capacity in some of the most important deals in the sector including African Platinum Ltd., Arequipa Resources Ltd.,
Bema Gold Corp, Brancotte Resources, Comaplex Minerals Corp., Detour Gold Corp, Diamond Fields Resources
Inc., Echo Bay Mines Ltd., Francisco Gold Corp., Franco-Nevada Corp., Gammon Gold Inc., Getchell Gold Corp.,
Golden Shamrock Mines Ltd., Guinor Resources Ltd., Hemlo Gold Mines Inc., Ivanhoe Mines Ltd., Meridian Gold
Inc., MexGold Resources Inc., Minefinders Corporation Ltd., Moto Goldmines Ltd., New Gold Inc., Northern Orion
Resources Inc., Osisko Mining Inc, Peru Copper Inc., Wheaton River Minerals Ltd., Randgold Resources Ltd., Rio
Narcea Gold Mines Ltd., Skye Resources Inc., Semafo Inc., Sino Gold Mining Ltd., UrAsia Energy, UraMin
Inc. among many others.
Mr. Vitton was also the co-founder of MMX Minerals e Metalicos SA (
Brazil
) ("MMX") and LLX Logistica SA
(
Brazil
). MMX sold Minas Rio and Amapa assets to Anglo American Corporation for USD
$5.5 billion
in cash in
December 2008
, returning USD
$8.8 billion
in cash or stock distributions to MMX shareholders, offering six times
return from IPO. LLX Logistica (
Acu Port
) was sold to EIG (Energy Infrastructure Group). Additionally, he co-
founded Petro Rio SA, one of the leading Brazilian public oil and gas producers, producing over 35,000 bbls per
day.
Recently, Mr. Vitton acted as seed investor and capital markets advisor to Newmarket Gold Inc., which was sold to
Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. for CAD
$ 1 billion
, combining to form a CAD
$2.4 billion
company. Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd.
was awarded 2018 Digger of the Year (Diggers and Dealers). He acted as investor and capital markets advisor to
ASX-listed Gold Road Resources Ltd., raising AUD
$57 million
, and bringing the Gruyere gold mine into production
jointly with Gold Fields SA. Gold Road Resources Ltd. won the Diggers and Dealers award for best deal in 2017.
He currently acts as advisor to Cardinal Resources Ltd. Mr. Vitton is a partner and member of P5 Infrastructure,
operating in partnership with EQT Infrastructure/CMA CGM, where EQT Infrastructure/P5 Infrastructure acquired
90% of Global Gateway South Terminal, a deep sea terminal in Long Beach Harbor, CA.
Mr. Vitton is a graduate of the
University of Michigan
Business School, former Seat Holder, NYSE, and former
President, New York Society of Metals Analysts. He has invested and partnered with some of the largest sovereign
fund, private equity funds, mutual and hedge funds. Mr. Vitton is focused on the energy, infrastructure, industrial and
mining sectors.
ROBERT GAYTON WILL NOT STAND FOR RE-ELECTION
The Company would also like to inform that longtime board member
Robert Gayton
will not stand for re-election at
this year's Annual General Meeting. The Company would like to thank Mr. Gayton for his 16 years of board
service. Mr. Gayton joined the group as a director of Western Silver Corp. and continued as a director with the
spinout of Western Copper in 2006. Mr. Gayton has played a key role in guiding and advising the Company over
the years. He will be missed by the entire Western team and we wish him all the best in his future endeavors.
ABOUT WESTERN COPPER AND GOLD CORPORATION
Western Copper and Gold Corporation is developing the Casino Project,
Canada's
premier copper-gold mine in the
Yukon Territory
and one of the most economic greenfield copper-gold mining projects in the world. For more
information, visit
www.westerncopperandgold.com
.
On behalf of the board,
"Dale Corman"
F.
Dale Corman
Executive Chairman
Western Copper and Gold Corporation
Cautionary Disclaimer Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Information
This news release contains certain forward-looking statements concerning anticipated developments in Western's
operations in future periods. Statements that are not historical fact are "forward-looking statements" as that term is
defined in
the United States
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward looking information" as
that term is defined in National Instrument 51-102 ("NI 51-102") of the Canadian Securities Administrators
(collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified
by words such as "plans", "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "potential", "possible" and
similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions or results "will", "may", "could" or "should" occur or be
achieved. These forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the
anticipated closing date of and the use of proceeds from the Private Placement. In making the forward-looking
statements herein, the Company has applied certain material assumptions including, but not limited to, the
assumptions that all regulatory approvals will be received in a timely manner and on acceptable terms; that
general business conditions will note change in a materially adverse manner and that the Private Placement will
proceed as planned.
Forward-looking statements are statements about the future and are inherently uncertain, and actual results,
performance or achievements of Western and its subsidiaries may differ materially from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements due to a variety of risks,
uncertainties and other factors. Such risks and other factors include, among others, risks involved in fluctuations
in gold, copper and other commodity prices and currency exchange rates; the risks and uncertainties related to
the Private Placement not being completed in the event that the conditions precedent thereto (including receipt of
requisite regulatory approvals) are not satisfied; uncertainties related to raising sufficient financing in a timely
manner and on acceptable terms; and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in Western's AIF and Form 40-F,
and other information released by Western and filed with the applicable regulatory agencies.
Western's forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, expectations and opinions of management on the
date the statements are made, and Western does not assume, and expressly disclaims, any intention or obligation
to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise, except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. For the reasons set forth above,
investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
View original content to download multimedia:
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/michael-vitton-to-join-board-of-western-copper-and-gold-301047245.html
SOURCE
Western Copper and Gold Corporation
View original content to download multimedia:
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2020/27/c7120.html
%SEDAR: 00023684E
For further information:
Chris Donaldson, Director, Corporate Development, 604.638.2520 or
CO: Western Copper and Gold Corporation
CNW 16:30e 27-APR-20