BCL appoints Osikore and Patterson to board

Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) has appointed David Osikore and Jonny Patterson as executives to the board as the company prepares to enter an operational phase.
Osikore was appointed managing director and chief executive officer. Patterson Auna is the chief financial officer and company secretary.
BCL chairman Sir Melchior Togolo said Bougainvilleans would for the first time own more than 70 per cent of the new BCL.
BCL has over the past five months prepared to transition from a caretaker to an operational exploration phase.
In October 2023, the company announced that following a period of constructive dialogue, BCL and the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) had agreed on terms for a deed of settlement to end the judicial review proceedings relating to the Company’s EL01 exploration licence in the Panguna project.
In February 2024, the ABG granted a five-year extension of BCL’s EL01 exploration licence for the Panguna project in Central Bougainville.
Bougainville’s President Ishmael Toroama described Panguna as a “high impact project for Bougainville” and that the issuance of the licence would pave the way for redevelopment.
Osikore, who has served on the BCL board as an independent director since 2019, brings more than 30 years’ experience in the exploration and mining industries in Papua New Guinea and Australia.
Previously he served as managing director of Pacific Niugini Minerals with a particular focus on mineral exploration in PNG.
Patterson too has more than 30 years’ experience in various senior executive roles and industries in finance, accounting and corporate operations in PNG and Australia.
He is an associate member of the Certified Practicing Accountants and the Papua New Guinea Institute of Directors.