Avocet Mining plc announced that Boudewijn Wentink has been appointed Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect and will join the board as an Executive Director. Boudewijn has a wealth of experience in managing businesses in challenging circumstances, most recently with New World Resources plc, a coal mining group based in the Czech Republic. He served as New World Resources' finance & legal director, and executive director, from 1 September 2015 until 3 November 2016.

David Cather will step aside as Chief Executive but will remain on the Board as Technical Director in order to provide oversight on technical and related matters. The company furthermore announced that Mrs. Yolanda Bolleurs will take the position as Chief Finance Officer from 3 April 2017 as Jim Wynn stands down as Finance Director, in order to take up a role as Chief Finance Officer of Rainbow Rare Earths Limited (RBW.L) at the end of April. Bolleurs has experience managing financial and operational restructuring as well as cost optimisation processes for listed companies in mining, retail, logistics and telecoms. She will support Mr. Wentink in achieving the strategic objectives.

Jim will then remain on the Board of Avocet as a Non-executive Director, and will continue to provide advice and guidance as required.