Hearts & Mines

In this episode of Hearts & Mines, David is joined by Nathan Giglia to speak with Darryl Cuzzubbo, Managing Director and CEO of Arafura Rare Earths. A mechanical engineer by training, Darryl built his career at BHP and Orica, then led SolGold before taking the top job at Arafura, where he is delivering the Nolans Project, Australia's first ore to oxide rare earths operation.

This is a candid conversation about leadership, purpose and backing people over experience. Darryl explains why belief in the mission is the one non-negotiable for a leader, how a coal mining crew hired on attitude and aptitude built the safest underground coal mine in Australia, and why removing the fear of failure unlocks the best in people. He also shares how Arafura raised capital within days of being named in the US Critical Minerals Framework, what he learned from a CEO role that turned out to be the wrong fit, and why his best career advice is to double your capability every three years. A thoughtful, practical listen for anyone leading in resources.

Connect with:

David Beilby 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbeilby/

Alana Bray-White 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/alana-bray-white-8b4478219/

ivy & gecko 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/ivy-gecko

Timecodes:

(00:00) Introduction

(02:05) Early years and Italian heritage

(09:40) Big company versus small company speed

(13:25) Nolans and the central processing hub

(16:40) Non-negotiable leadership qualities

(18:30) Vulnerability and leading through a fatality

(20:50) Learning from honest mistakes

(23:50) Attitude and aptitude over experience

(27:40) Australia's productivity and energy challenge

(32:10) Employee value proposition and hiring for values

(37:25) Board table versus executive table

(40:50) The SolGold mistake

(43:30) Removing the fear of failure

(47:30) Getting graduates into mining

(49:20) Quick fire questions

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LinkedIn 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/hearts-mines

Recorded and produced by Podwave Studios: https://podwavestudios.au/

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in 'Hearts & Mines' are those of the podcast participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of ivy & gecko or any other agency, organisation, employer, or company associated with the podcast. Content provided is for informational purposes only.

#HeartsAndMines #ivyandgecko #ExecutiveSearch #MiningIndustry #MiningLeadership #AustralianMining #Resources #Podcast #RareEarths #CriticalMinerals #Arafura #NolansProject #Leadership #Recruitment #MiningCareers

In this episode of Hearts & Mines, David is joined by co-host Nathan Giglia to speak with Sinead Kaufman, non-executive director of South32 and Deep Yellow and former Chief Executive of Minerals at Rio Tinto. With more than 30 years across the global resources sector, Sinead led Rio Tinto's battery materials growth, including the Rincon and Arcadium lithium acquisitions, and is now building a second career in the boardroom.

This is a warm, funny and thoughtful conversation about what leadership really means, how serving your team beats chasing authority, and why the pace and perspective of a board role differ from the executive table. Sinead also shares the story of the INSEAD scholarship that changed her career, why she believes people leave leaders and not businesses, and her view that productivity is the biggest challenge facing Australian mining. A genuinely open and good-humoured conversation, with plenty of Irish wit along the way.

Timecodes:

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Recorded and produced by Podwave Studios:https://podwavestudios.au/

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in 'Hearts & Mines' are those of the podcast participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of ivy & gecko or any other agency, organisation, employer, or company associated with the podcast. Content provided is for informational purposes only.

#HeartsAndMines #ivyandgecko #ExecutiveSearch #MiningIndustry #MiningLeadership #AustralianMining #Resources #Podcast #SineadKaufman #RioTinto #South32 #BoardLeadership #WorkplaceCulture #Productivity #INSEAD

In this episode of Hearts & Mines, David is joined by co-host Nathan Giglia to speak with Steven Harvey, Chief Operating Officer of Vault Minerals. With more than 40 years in the industry. Steven grew up in Kalgoorlie-Boulder, studied at the School of Mines, and now oversees operations at one of Australia's gold producers as Vault works through a proposed $12.6 billion merger with Genesis Minerals.

This is a thoughtful, down to earth conversation about keeping operations focused through corporate change, why leadership can be learned, and why granting trust beats micromanaging. Steven also shares an early career lesson on the chain of command, why values matter more than culture fit, and a warning that high gold prices can disguise poor execution. A practical and candid conversation for anyone leading people in mining.

David Beilby 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbeilby/

Alana Bray-White 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/alana-bray-white-8b4478219/

ivy & gecko 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/ivy-gecko

Timecodes:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:15) Leading Vault through the Genesis merger

(03:10) Growing up in Kalgoorlie and the School of Mines

(09:25) Climbing the smelter stack and woodworking

(12:10) What makes an exceptional leader

(17:45) Mentoring and training your replacement

(19:25) Granting trust instead of micromanaging

(23:15) The chain of command lesson

(25:25) Attracting talent to a mid-sized miner

(31:45) Engagement, fairness and being seen on site

(38:20) Hiring for values over culture fit

(44:55) The people shortage in mining

(48:05) Why high gold prices can hide poor execution

(53:50) Using AI in mining

(01:01:30) Rapid fire questions

Follow Hearts & Mines 🌐

LinkedIn 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/hearts-mines

Recorded and produced by Podwave Studios:https://podwavestudios.au/

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in 'Hearts & Mines' are those of the podcast participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of ivy & gecko or any other agency, organisation, employer, or company associated with the podcast. Content provided is for informational purposes only.

#HeartsAndMines #ivyandgecko #ExecutiveSearch #MiningIndustry #MiningLeadership #Leadership #Recruitment #BoutiqueFirm #WorkplaceCulture #CareerAdvice #Vulnerability #TeamCulture #AustralianMining #Resources #Podcast

In this episode of Hearts & Mines, David is joined by co-host Nathan Giglia to speak with Nick Anderson, Managing Director and CEO of ASX-listed gold explorer Golden Horse Minerals and board member of Green 360 Technologies. Raised on a cattle farm in Tumbarumba at the foot of the Snowy Mountains, Nick trained as a chemical engineer, moved through mineral processing and banking, and now leads a company built from 20 separate transactions across 1,800 square kilometres of WA's Southern Cross region.

This is a fun conversation about leading without micromanaging, why constructive conflict and psychological safety lead to better decisions, and what changes when you move from the executive suite to the boardroom. Nick also shares the leadership failure that taught him when to step in, the mentor advice "stop telling me why it won't work and tell me how to make it happen", and why attracting more women into STEM roles is the industry's easiest win on the people shortage. A refreshingly down-to-earth conversation with one of the junior gold sector's most distinctive leaders, horse puns included.

David Beilby 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbeilby/

Alana Bray-White 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/alana-bray-white-8b4478219/

ivy & gecko 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/ivy-gecko

Timecodes:

(00:00) Introduction

(00:45) Welcome and the Year of the Horse

(01:45) Growing up in Tumbarumba and boarding school in Sydney

(04:15) From chemical engineering to mining, finance and banking

(05:45) Golden Horse Minerals, Hopes Hill and the gold plant boom

(08:05) Empowering people and avoiding micromanagement

(11:25) Surrounding yourself with the right people and constructive conflict

(14:30) Transitioning from executive to board member

(15:55) Leading through uncertainty and the best advice he received

(17:35) A leadership failure and the lesson learned

(19:10) Golden Horse's value proposition and workplace culture

(22:00) The people challenge and women in mining

(23:50) AI, horse puns and takeover readiness

(26:05) David's most memorable guests

(30:35) Rapid fire questions

Follow Hearts & Mines 🌐

LinkedIn 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/hearts-mines

Recorded and produced by Podwave Studios:https://podwavestudios.au/

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in 'Hearts & Mines' are those of the podcast participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of ivy & gecko or any other agency, organisation, employer, or company associated with the podcast.

Content provided is for informational purposes only.

#HeartsAndMines #ivyandgecko #ExecutiveSearch #MiningIndustry #MiningLeadership #Leadership #Recruitment #BoutiqueFirm #WorkplaceCulture #CareerAdvice #Vulnerability #TeamCulture #AustralianMining #Resources #Podcast

In this special mini episode of Hearts & Mines, the tables are turned as David is interviewed by his longtime friend and colleague Stuart Chandler, Senior Client Partner at ivy & gecko. Having worked together for more than 20 years across executive search, the pair reflect on why David and Alana Bray-White, ivy & gecko’s Managing Director, started the podcast, why vulnerability sits at the heart of every conversation, and what sets Hearts & Mines apart from more technical mining podcasts.

David then turns the questions back on Stuart, exploring what makes a candidate truly memorable, why strong executives can struggle when a company's growth phase doesn't match their experience, the people who have shaped his career, and the lessons from Patrick Lencioni's Getting Naked. The conversation also looks ahead to ivy & gecko's future as a boutique firm, the upcoming magazine celebrating 50 Hearts & Mines conversations, and Stuart's plans to launch a podcast of his own.

A warm and genuine conversation between two old friends who clearly enjoy working together.

David Beilby 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbeilby/

Alana Bray-White 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/alana-bray-white-8b4478219/

ivy & gecko 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/ivy-gecko

Timecodes:

(00:00) Why David Started Hearts & Mines

(02:05) Vulnerability and Leadership Stories

(03:20) Stuart's Path Into Executive Search

(04:30) What Drew Stuart to ivy & gecko

(05:55) What Makes a Candidate Memorable

(06:50) When Good Candidates Fail

(08:00) The Advantage of a Boutique Firm

(09:15) People Who Shaped Stuart's Career

(10:35) Running, Hiking and Recharging

(11:15) What's on Stuart's Bedside Table

(12:40) The Future of ivy & gecko

(14:35) Making a Remote Team Work

(16:00) Celebrating 50 Conversations

(17:20) Stuart's Podcast Plans

Follow Hearts & Mines 🌐

LinkedIn 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/hearts-mines

Recorded and produced by Podwave Studios:https://podwavestudios.au/

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in 'Hearts & Mines' are those of the podcast participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of ivy & gecko or any other agency, organisation, employer, or company associated with the podcast.

Content provided is for informational purposes only.

#HeartsAndMines #ivyandgecko #ExecutiveSearch #MiningIndustry #MiningLeadership #Leadership #Recruitment #BoutiqueFirm #WorkplaceCulture #CareerAdvice #Vulnerability #TeamCulture #AustralianMining #Resources #Podcast

In this episode of Hearts & Mines, David is joined by first-time co-host Nathan Giglia to speak with Dominic Piper, editor of Australia's Paydirt and Gold Mining Journal. A multi-award winning journalist with more than two decades covering the international resources sector, Dominic has built his reputation on the junior and mid-tier end of the market, writing without fear or favour and travelling to the places most people would never put on an itinerary.

This is a rare look at the industry from the other side of the microphone. Dominic talks about growing up working class in the northeast of England, the screenplays he has been quietly writing for years, and why the junior sector runs almost entirely on force of personality. He is candid on the Peter Principle in mining, why brilliant geologists are so often set up to fail as leaders, the two decisions he got wrong and what they taught him, and why permitting gridlock is really a problem created by the majors. Along the way there are Kalashnikovs at a West African border post, a warning about what happens when a company elevates itself onto a new share register, and a thoughtful case for why the breakdown of community is the biggest risk the world is ignoring.

David Beilby 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbeilby/

Alana Bray-White 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/alana-bray-white-8b4478219/

ivy & gecko 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/ivy-gecko

Timecodes:

(00:00) Intro

Follow Hearts & Mines 🌐

LinkedIn 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/hearts-mines

Recorded and produced by Podwave Studios:https://podwavestudios.au/

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in 'Hearts & Mines' are those of the podcast participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of ivy & gecko or any other agency, organisation, employer, or company associated with the podcast. Content provided is for informational purposes only.

#HeartsAndMines #MiningPodcast #DominicPiper #Paydirt #GoldMiningJournal #AfricaDownUnder #MiningLeadership #JuniorMining #WesternAustralia #ResourcesSector #MiningNews #MiningIndustry #Leadership #NorthernStar #MiningJournalism

David Beilby 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbeilby/

Alana Bray-White 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/alana-bray-white-8b4478219/

ivy & gecko 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/ivy-gecko

Timecodes:

(00:00) Cold open: identity, AI and leadership

Follow Hearts & Mines 🌐

LinkedIn 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/hearts-mines

Recorded and produced by Podwave Studios:https://podwavestudios.au/

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in 'Hearts & Mines' are those of the podcast participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of ivy & gecko or any other agency, organisation, employer, or company associated with the podcast. Content provided is for informational purposes only.

#HeartsAndMines #MattAllen #AndeanSilver #CerroBayo #SilverMining #MiningLeadership #JuniorMiners #ASXMining #ChileMining #ResourcesSector #MiningCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #AIinMining #PerthPodcast #MiningPodcast #CriticalMinerals

In this episode of Hearts & Mines, David is joined by Matthew Allen. A self-described "reformed oil and gas guy" and accountant by training, Matthew has spent his career deliberately stepping out of big-company comfort and into junior explorers and developers across oil and gas, rare earths, lithium and now silver, working on every continent along the way. He currently leads the restart of the historic Cerro Bayo silver-gold mine in southern Chile. This is a candid conversation about what genuine leadership looks like in small companies where there are no egos and everyone has to row in the same direction. Matthew and David explore why failure is the best teacher, why humility and authenticity matter more than authority, the challenge of selling mining as a career to the next generation, operating responsibly in remote South American communities, and where AI is genuinely reshaping how a small-cap miner works. A warm, generous and thoughtful discussion from a leader who has never been afraid to take on a challenge.

David Beilby 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbeilby/

Alana Bray-White 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/alana-bray-white-8b4478219/

ivy & gecko 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/ivy-gecko

Timecodes:

(00:00) Cold open & preview (00:45) Introducing Matthew Allen, MD & CEO of Andean Silver (01:50) Country NSW childhood, cadets and a fighter-pilot dream (05:05) Rugby league, sports management and lessons for listed companies (07:00) Resilience, learning to fail, and the $27M dry hole (09:25) Tracing family history back to 1066 and Gallipoli (11:55) Family life, and raising a creative, dyslexic daughter (14:30) What effective leadership really takes: vision, execution and people (19:00) Culture "complement" over culture "fit", humility and small teams (22:50) Andean Silver and restarting the Cerro Bayo mine in Chile (27:30) Chilean workforce laws, diversity and social licence (33:50) Asking the right question, and the legacy of Sir Charles Court (38:35) Selling mining as a career and fixing it through education (42:00) AI as a productivity tool and the silver supply deficit (49:55) Decision-making: the call to sell Otto Energy's only producing asset (52:55) Rapid-fire round and advice to his 25-year-old self

Follow Hearts & Mines 🌐

LinkedIn 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/hearts-mines

Recorded and produced by Podwave Studios:https://podwavestudios.au/

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in 'Hearts & Mines' are those of the podcast participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of ivy & gecko or any other agency, organisation, employer, or company associated with the podcast. Content provided is for informational purposes only.

#HeartsAndMines #MattAllen #AndeanSilver #CerroBayo #SilverMining #MiningLeadership #JuniorMiners #ASXMining #ChileMining #ResourcesSector #MiningCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #AIinMining #PerthPodcast #MiningPodcast #CriticalMinerals

In this episode of Hearts & Mines, David is joined by co-host Stuart Chandler to speak with Brendan Tritton, MD and CEO of Valiant Gold. A country kid from WA turned mining engineer, Brendan has moved from underground crews to the private sector and now into the public arena, leading the restart of the Comet and Reedy gold operations spun out of Westgold.

This is a candid, wide-ranging conversation about what genuine leadership looks like at the helm of a newly listed junior, why connecting with people as humans comes before strategy, and how to manage complexity and uncertainty when you are building systems and culture from scratch. Brendan shares the "prove you wrong" moment that shaped his drive, the value of vulnerability and servant leadership, and why 80% is sometimes good enough to keep momentum. A genuinely warm and insightful conversation from one of WA's emerging mining leaders.

David Beilby 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbeilby/

Alana Bray-White 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/alana-bray-white-8b4478219/

ivy & gecko 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/ivy-gecko

Timecodes:

(00:00) Cold open: proving them wrong and connecting as humans

(01:55) Welcome to Brendan Tritton and co-host Stuart Chandler

(02:25) A WA country upbringing and the "prove you wrong" moment

(07:00) Falling in love with mining and underground camaraderie

(09:20) What leadership means: leader-leader over leader-follower

(11:05) Empathy, humility and exposing vulnerability

(14:05) The navigation exercise: ego, pausing and adjusting

(17:25) Managing the restart of Comet and Reedy

(18:55) ASX listing and the path back to production

(23:20) Pitching the value proposition of a new junior

(29:55) Listening well and hiring for authenticity over the CV

(35:25) The biggest challenge: attracting young people into mining

(38:20) Approvals processes and WA slipping down the rankings

(40:10) AI at Valiant: building without legacy systems

(42:35) Rapid fire: hope, highlights, advice and a warm wrap

Follow Hearts & Mines 🌐

LinkedIn 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/hearts-mines

Recorded and produced by Podwave Studios:https://podwavestudios.au/

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in 'Hearts & Mines' are those of the podcast participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of ivy & gecko or any other agency, organisation, employer, or company associated with the podcast. Content provided is for informational purposes only.

#HeartsAndMines #ValiantGold #MiningLeadership #ASX #GoldMining #JuniorMiner #WAMining #MiningPodcast #Westgold #ResourcesSector #Leadership #MiningEngineer #CometGold #MiningCulture #GoldProducer

In this episode of Hearts & Minds, David is joined by Sara Prendergast, Chief Financial Officer of ASX-listed gold producer St Barbara. Sara's finance career has spanned Gold Fields, Xstrata, BHP Billiton, Glencore and Orica, taking her through remote mining towns across Western Australia and Queensland before landing her at the top of St Barbara's finance function, where she's steered the company through a major restructure, selling its Leonora asset to Genesis Minerals and refocusing on projects in Papua New Guinea and Nova Scotia.

This is a candid conversation about the formative experiences that shaped Sara as a leader, from a challenging childhood in regional Victoria to a dyslexia diagnosis at university that changed the trajectory of her academic and professional life. Sara talks openly about leading through ambiguity, why authenticity matters more than natural charisma for introverted leaders, how she screens for resilience when hiring, and what the mining industry needs to do to inspire the next generation into a career in resources. Sara was named an Exceptional Woman in Mining by the Minerals Council of Australia and one of the Top 100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining.

David Beilby 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbeilby/

Alana Bray-White 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/alana-bray-white-8b4478219/

ivy & gecko 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/ivy-gecko

Timecodes: 

(00:00) Cold open

(00:50) Welcome to Hearts & Minds

(01:45) Growing up in Gippsland

(02:50) Family hardship and early responsibility

(03:45) Diagnosed with dyslexia at university

(04:55) Managing dyslexia as an executive

(06:25) Why she chose a career in mining

(07:15) Life in remote mining towns

(08:15) Family life and how she recharges

(09:05) Her sons' path into mining

(09:40) What leadership means to her

(12:00) Leading as an introvert

(14:00) Challenges as CFO of St Barbara

(16:30) Attracting talent to a company in transition

(18:25) Screening for resilience under VUCA conditions

(19:50) The value of battle scars and failure

(21:15) The biggest challenges facing Australian mining

(23:05) Inspiring the next generation into mining

(26:05) Rapid fire questions

(34:00) Closing thoughts

Follow Hearts & Mines 🌐

LinkedIn 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/hearts-mines Recorded and produced by Podwave Studios:https://podwavestudios.au/

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in 'Hearts & Mines' are those of the podcast participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of ivy & gecko or any other agency, organisation, employer, or company associated with the podcast. Content provided is for informational purposes only.

#HeartsAndMinds #MiningPodcast #StBarbara #ASX #WomenInMining #AustralianMining #GoldMining #MiningLeadership #ResourcesSector