Lithium Americas Strengthens Senior Management Team, Appoints President and Chief Operating Officer
August 21 2018 - 4:15PM
Lithium Americas Corp. (TSX: LAC) (NYSE: LAC) ("Lithium
Americas" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce new
appointments to the senior management team following the recently
announced strategic transaction with Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithium Co.
Ltd. (“Ganfeng Lithium”) to jointly advance the Cauchari-Olaroz
lithium project in Jujuy, Argentina (“Cauchari-Olaroz”), in
addition to the Company’s continuing development of the 100%-owned
Thacker Pass lithium project in Nevada, USA (“Thacker Pass”).
Mr. Jonathan (Jon) Evans has agreed to join the
Company as President and Chief Operating Officer, effective
September 1, 2018. In addition to having served as an officer in
the U.S. Army, Jon brings over 20 years of executive operations
experience, including management positions with General Electric in
the US and Europe, and executive roles at a number of major
industrial companies owned by private equity firms. From 2008 to
2013, Jon was the General Manager in charge of the Lithium Division
at FMC Corp.
With Jon’s appointment as President, John
Kanellitsas will become Executive Vice Chairman of the Company, in
which capacity he will chair the Company’s Management Committee, be
primarily responsible for managing the Company’s recently announced
collaboration efforts with Ganfeng Lithium, and continue to work on
developing long-term financing plans for Thacker Pass.
Lithium Americas is also pleased to announce the
appointments of Rene LeBlanc as Chief Technical Officer and Alec
Meikle as Vice President, Corporate Development. Rene joined
Lithium Americas in 2017 as a Senior Processing Development Manager
responsible for developing and testing the process flowsheet for
Thacker Pass and, more recently, has been involved in the technical
development of Cauchari-Olaroz. Prior to joining the Company, Rene
worked for over 10 years in process engineering at both FMC Corp.
and Tesla, Inc. Alec joined the Company in 2016 and has
played a key role in the Company’s successful efforts in securing
over US$350 million of debt and equity capital, and structuring the
Company’s recently announced transaction with Ganfeng Lithium.
Prior to joining Lithium Americas, Alec was a research analyst
covering the lithium market with 10 years’ experience in finance
and capital markets.
Tom Hodgson, CEO of Lithium Americas, commented:
“Following the recent announcement of our strategic transaction and
collaboration agreement with Ganfeng Lithium, we continue to
strengthen our management and technical teams as we advance our two
world-class projects in Argentina and Nevada. I am very proud of
our ability to attract exceptional talent as we focus on building
one of the strongest teams in the lithium industry. Jon joins the
Lithium Americas’ executive team, having already earned an
outstanding reputation as a disciplined leader in the lithium
industry and brings to Lithium Americas key industry relationships
and project management experience. Over the past year, Jon has been
actively involved in the oversight of our projects in his capacity
as a Director of the Company, and we now look forward to benefiting
from his operating and leadership skills as part of the senior
management team.”
Effective with the executive appointment, Jon
Evans will step down from the Company’s Board of
Directors.
About Lithium
Americas:
Lithium Americas is developing the
Caucharí-Olaroz lithium project currently under construction in
Jujuy, Argentina, and, on closing of the strategic transactions
announced August 14, 2018, will have a 62.5% interest in the joint
venture with Ganfeng Lithium holding a 37.5% interest. In addition,
Lithium Americas owns 100% of the Thacker Pass lithium project in
northern Nevada, and RheoMinerals Inc., a supplier of rheology
modifiers for oil-based drilling fluids, coatings, and specialty
chemicals. The Company trades on both the Toronto Stock Exchange
and on the New York Stock Exchange, under the ticker symbol
“LAC”.
For further information contact:Lithium
Americas Corp.Investor RelationsSuite 1150 – 355 Burrard
StreetVancouver, BC, V6C 2G8Telephone:
778-656-5820Email: ir@lithiumamericas.comWebsite:
www.lithiumamericas.com
Forward-looking
statements:
This news release contains “forward-looking
information” and “forward-looking statements” (which we refer to
collectively as forward-looking information) under the provisions
of applicable securities legislation. Such forward-looking
information is subject to various risks and uncertainties.
Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is
not limited to, statements with respect to: (i) the timing and
completion of the recently announced strategic transaction
regarding the Company’s Cauchari-Olaroz and related transactions;
(ii) the potential for future collaboration with Ganfeng Lithium
and any benefits therefrom; and (iii) statements regarding the
ability to continue to strengthen management and technical teams
and to advance the Company’s projects. Forward looking
information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and
other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ
materially from those projected in the forward-looking information,
including, but not limited to, risks relating to changes in project
parameters as plans continue to be redefined, including the
possibility that mining operations may not commence at the project,
risks relating to variations in mineral resources and mineral
reserves, risks relating to the ability to access infrastructure,
risks relating to changes in the price of, or worldwide demand for,
battery-grade lithium carbonate, sulfuric acid or other
commodities, risks relating to increased competition in the market
for batter-grade lithium carbonate and related products, risks
relating to global financial conditions, reliance on key personnel,
operational risks inherent in the conduct of mining activities,
increases in capital or operating costs and the risk of delays or
increased costs that may be encountered during the development and
construction process, regulatory risks, including risks relating to
the acquisition of necessary permits and licenses, financing risks,
including the risk that funding required for development and
construction activities may not be available on satisfactory terms
or at all, environmental risks, risks relating to completion of the
transactions referenced above, and the additional risks identified
in the “Risk Factors” section of Lithium Americas’ annual
information form and other reports and filings filed with
applicable securities regulators. There can be no assurance that
such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and
future events could differ materially from those anticipated in
such statements. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date
hereof and the Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any
obligation to, update or revise the forward-looking information
contained in this news release, except as required by law.
Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
forward-looking information.
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