DENVER: Newmont Corp. announced Monday that President and Chief Operating Officer Natascha Viljoen will succeed Tom Palmer as chief executive officer, effective Jan. 1.
Palmer, who has led the world’s largest gold miner since 2019, will step down from the board and retire as CEO on Dec. 31, capping a 12-year tenure with the company and nearly four decades in the mining industry.
Viljoen joined Newmont in 2023 as executive vice president and COO. She previously served as CEO of Valterra and held senior roles at BHP and Lonmin. Her appointment marks a historic milestone, making her the first woman to lead Newmont in its more than 100-year history.
“I want to express my gratitude to Tom for his mentorship and support, and to the Board for entrusting me with the responsibility to lead Newmont into its next phase of growth,” Viljoen said in a statement.
Palmer began his Newmont career in 2014 as managing director for Indonesia, later overseeing Asia Pacific operations before becoming COO in 2016.
“After 12 years with Newmont, and almost 40 years in the mining industry, it is time for me to retire and hand over to Natascha to lead our Company through the next chapter in its storied history,” Palmer said.
Earlier this month, Newmont announced the sale of its stake in Orla Mining for $439 million as part of its ongoing divestiture strategy.