19 September 2022

David Woodall Appointed as MD & CEO

KEY POINTS:

·    David Woodall appointed as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, contributing over 30 years of international mining experience across technical, managerial, consulting, executive and director roles.

·    MD & CEO of publicly listed companies who has held senior positions with Rio Tinto, Fortescue Metals Group, Newcrest Mining and Ivanhoe Mines.

·    Deeply experienced at transitioning companies from explorers to producers.

·    Mr Woodall's experience and skillset complement that of the existing Board and management team as Aura fast-tracks to uranium production at the Tiris Uranium Project.

Aura Energy Limited (ASX:AEE, AIM:AURA) ("Aura", the "Company") a company focused on the development of the 85% owned Tiris Uranium Project, Mauritania ("Tiris", or the "Project"), is pleased to announce the appointment of David Woodall as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Company effective Monday 17 October 2022.

Mr Woodall is a senior, corporate executive with a mining engineering qualification and 30 years' experience across exploration, operations, project development, community alignment and engagement in the mineral resources industry including rare earths, critical minerals, gold, copper, iron ore and nickel.  

He has used his broad experience across the value chain at operational, corporate and board levels to maximise shareholder value.  Mr Woodall has overseen transformation and change management in complex and difficult operating environments, driving and linking strategic, operational and transformational change strategies in organisations using both the application of technical skills and his deep affinity with shop floor staff, local communities and host nation leaders to create a safe, team-based leadership approach and to achieve outcomes that create value for all stakeholders.

He also has experience in managed large, geographically distant teams across multiple locations and different cultures (countries, unionised, aging workforce, new teams).

He is a member of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).  

Aura Non-Executive Chairman, Phil Mitchell, commented: "We welcome David to the position of Managing Director and CEO of Aura Energy.  His broad mining and corporate experience will be vital to fast-tracking to uranium production at the company both in Mauritania and Sweden."

"On behalf of the board and the key shareholders, I want to thank Dr Will Goodall for his time and efforts as acting CEO over the past 9 months.  During Will's leadership we have crafted and progressed the implementation of a strategy that will facilitate the early development of the Tiris project and craft a realistic pathway to the establishment of a battery metals complex in Sweden based upon the Haggan resource.  Will's leadership has been at the core of advancing our projects. The board is thrilled that David and Dr Goodall will work together to continue the advancement of Aura".

Commenting on his appointment, Mr Woodall said: "I am delighted to be joining Aura Energy and being part of the team that will develop the Tiris Project and progressing the development of a battery metals complex at Haggan in Sweden.  The effort and work of the team has delivered a strong foundation for a company that will benefit all stakeholders.  The importance of Tiris and the other Aura Projects will play an important role in the security and stability of energy supply globally. "

This ASX Release has been authorised by the Aura Energy Board of Directors.

Mr David Graham Woodall, aged 62, currently holds or has held the following directorships and partnerships in the last five years:

Mr Woodall does not hold currently hold any ordinary shares of 1 pence each in the Company. Subject to shareholder approval, anticipated to be sought at the 2022 Annual General Meeting, and in consideration of his employment as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, it is proposed that Mr Woodall will be issued 16,000,000 Loan Funded Shares, to be issued on the same terms and conditions disclosed in the Notice of 2021 Annual General Meeting available at www.auraenergy.com.au.

There are no further disclosures to be made under Schedule 2g of the AIM Rules for Companies.

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 ('MAR') which has been incorporated into UK law by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.  Upon the publication of this announcement via Regulatory Information Service ('RIS'), this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

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Appendix : Summary of material terms of executive employment contract