(PRESS RELEASE) YELLOWKNIFE, CANADA — Rio Tinto has appointed Matthew Breen as the new Chief Operating Officer of the Diavik Diamond Mine, effective 8 December 2023. Matt, previously General Manager of Operations at Diavik, will lead the mine and its 1,230 employees in the next phase of its development.
Matt is a very experienced operational leader, and has worked across multiple operations and geographies over the past two decades, including in his most recent role as General Manager of Operations at Diavik. Matt succeeds Angela Bigg, who after a successful six years at Diavik, will be taking a period of leave before returning to Rio Tinto in a different leadership role.
Rio Tinto Minerals Chief Executive Sinead Kaufman said: “I am delighted that Matt will be leading the team at Diavik Diamond Mine as it continues to supply our customers with high quality, responsibly sourced Canadian diamonds, while preparing to leave a positive legacy in partnership with our community and government partners.”
“I would like to thank Angela for her six years at Diavik during which time she has shown strong leadership and care during challenging times.” Matt Breen said: “It is a privilege to be given the opportunity to lead Diavik Diamond Mine. The team of innovative and hard-working individuals at Diavik are inspirational and without their dedication and effort, we would not be the world class diamond mine we are today. I will ensure that we continue on our path of excellence to leave a lasting, positive legacy in the Northwest Territories.”
Honoring a Legacy: How Smith & Son Jewelers Exceeded Every Goal With Wilkerson
When Andrew Smith decided to close the Springfield, Massachusetts location of Smith & Son Jewelers, the decision came down to family. His father was retiring after 72 years in the business, and Andrew wanted to spend more time with his children and soon-to-arrive grandchildren.
For this fourth-generation jeweler whose great-grandfather founded the company in 1918, closing the 107-year-old Springfield location required the right partner. Smith chose Wilkerson, and the experience exceeded expectations from start to finish.
"Everything they told me was 100% true," Smith says. "The ease and use of all their tools was wonderful."
The consultants' knowledge and expertise proved invaluable. Smith and his father set their own financial goal, but Wilkerson proposed three more ambitious targets. "We thought we would never make it," Smith explains. "We were dead wrong. We hit our first goal, second goal and third goal. It was amazing."
Smith's recommendation is emphatic: "I would never be able to do what they did by myself."
