Oliver Stark’s Board Journey
VAB member Oliver Stark was recently appointed to a board director position at La Joya Mining (LJM) based in Arequipa, Peru. Below he shares his comments and thoughts about his path to taking on this new role.
What started you on your path to your new role – a network referral, a board role facilitator organisation/head-hunter, another route?
I have been working in executive and board roles with businesses in the mining industry for 35 years now. I was keeping an eye out for new opportunities as they might arise and this possibility to work with LJM came up. I was able to access it thanks to my increasing visibility as a board leader through my social media communications and my involvement in professional organisations and communities like VAB.
How impactful was your network in helping you successfully complete the board hiring process? Where did they provide assistance – document production, interview prep, due diligence?
Networking was critical. I think the basic task of getting the message out to your networks (and ultimately their networks’ networks) is something you cannot ignore. Although this role did not come to me directly through VAB, it was my involvement in activities run by VAB and my engagement in online discussions with board-level peers that helped boost my visibility and the business community’s overall awareness of my work and experience in the mining sector.
What strength or qualification helped pull you over the finish line? Is there a specific skill or experience that made you stand out among others in the candidate pool?
I feel it was my industry experience. That is, I had worked in leadership roles in groups like Metso and Gildemeister and was president of the board at Petroperú S.A., an oil and gas company with a 4.5 billion USD valuation. The team at LJM knew I had extensive knowledge of operations in the mining industry and lately at Petroperú, which made me especially visible at public level. Since LJM is a relatively new company in need of positive public exposure, it was clear I could help them with developing future business strategy.
What features of the business or elements in the board structure made you want to take on the role, e.g., a specific career challenge, strong values alignment, learning opportunities, something else?
The company’s plans to go public and the challenges that it would bring. I appreciate LJM’s distinctive nature as a mining and processing company that focuses on "clean" mining. It places special emphasis on environmental considerations before processing any metals and is a producer that sells to all world buyers willing to pay a premium price for gold processed in a sustainable, environmentally friendly way. I also admire the company’s commitment to social investments and giving back to local communities. They support the Fundación La Joya, a home that provides care for abused and disadvantaged children (currently some 30 children live there), as well as the Illegal Mining Investigation Fund, which studies and recommends regulatory proposals for removing threats to the Peruvian economy from illegal practices. I am proud of LJM’s commitment not only to economic growth and long-term business stability, but also to acting as a respected, caring corporate citizen.
