Maple Gold announces the appointments of Kiran Patankar and Michael Rukus

Maple Gold Mines Ltd. of Vancouver has announced the immediate departure of Matthew Hornor as president, CEO and a director of Maple Gold and the concurrent appointment of Kiran Patankar, an experienced mining executive and current chief financial officer of Maple Gold, as its interim president and CEO.

The company also announced the appointment of Michael Rukus, a chartered professional accountant (CPA) and current corporate controller of Maple Gold, as its interim chief financial officer to fill the vacancy created by Patankar’s appointment.

Patankar brings to the role an extensive public company leadership, investment banking and capital markets background and a diverse financial, technical, and strategic skill set, the company says, including mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, project evaluation and development, financial controls and reporting, stakeholder engagement and corporate governance.

His appointment is said to ensure a smooth transition and operational continuity while the board pursues an active strategy to unlock value through prudent capital allocation and disciplined exploration and development of the Company’s district-scale gold projects located in Québec.

Patankar has more than 15 years of senior leadership experience in the mining industry.

Rukus has more than 15 years of progressive leadership experience in finance and accounting, including over 10 years in the exploration and mining industry. He has led and directed global accounting and finance teams across multiple jurisdictions and has helped companies drive efficient and comprehensive financial plans and analysis to meet their strategic goals.

Maple Gold Mines Ltd. is a Canadian advanced exploration company in a 50/50 joint venture with Agnico Eagle Mines Limited to jointly advance the district-scale Douay and Joutel gold projects located in Québec’s Abitibi Greenstone Gold Belt.