Barrick strengthens leadership team with new legal, global affairs chiefs

[Ben Graham]

Barrick Mining (NYSE: B)(TSX: ABX) has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of two new members to its executive committee.

On Wednesday, the Toronto-based miner announced the appointment of James J. McGuire as its chief legal and policy officer and Woo Lee as chief global affairs officer.

The appointments, said Barrick, reflect its increased focus on government engagement and public policy as core capabilities that support the company’s strategy, license to operate and long-term value creation.

McGuire has over 30 years of legal (civil and criminal) experience representing leading corporations, financial institutions, and individuals on a wide range of complex legal and policy matters. He joins from Greenspoon Marder LLP, where he was a litigation partner and managing partner of the firm’s New York office. Prior to private practice, he served as a federal criminal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York.

As part of the Barrick leadership team, McGuire will oversee the company’s legal, compliance, regulatory and public policy functions. Meanwhile, current chief legal officer Poupak Bahamin will become Barrick’s general counsel and chief compliance officer and will remain its the executive committee.

Lee has been with Barrick for over 11 years. He most recently served as senior vice president and head of government and corporate affairs, Asia Pacific, where he worked with government officials, business and community leaders to advance the company’s strategic objectives.

In his new role, Lee will lead Barrick’s global government affairs strategy in all markets as well as manage government and sovereign relationships, leveraging over 30 years of experience working in Washington, China and East Asia, including a stint as a US diplomat in the State Department across the APAC region.

Both McGuire and Lee will report to Barrick’s new CEO Mark Hill, whose appointment was confirmed earlier this month.

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Barrick traded 1% higher by midday Wednesday in Toronto, bringing the company’s market capitalization to nearly $119 billion.