Angela Bigg has been appointed president and chief operating officer at Diavik diamond mine.
Bigg is the first woman to oversee the mine and its 1,100 employees.
“It is a privilege to be given the opportunity to lead the Diavik diamond mine,” she stated. “During my time with Diavik, I have continued to be inspired by the innovative and hard-working individuals that make up our team.
“Without their dedication and effort, we would not be the world-class diamond mine we are today,” she added. “I will ensure that we continue on our path of excellence to leave a lasting, positive legacy in the Northwest Territories.”
Bigg joined the Diavik in November 2017 as vice-president of finance.
However, she’s been a Rio Tinto employee since 2005 and has worked in Mozambique, South Africa and Australia, where she is from.
She succeeds Richard Storrie, who’s pursuing other opportunities.
“Angela has a deep knowledge of our people and our operations, as well as established relationships with local communities,” said Sinead Kaufman, chief executive of minerals for Rio Tinto. “I’m delighted she will be Diavik’s first female president as we continue to focus on supplying customers with high quality, responsibly sourced Canadian diamonds, while preparing to leave a positive legacy in partnership with our community and government partners.
Kaufman also thanked Storrie for his 26 years of service.
The Diavik diamond mine, located 300 km northeast of Yellowknife, is projected to close in 2025.