Our Team
Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a team of passionate individuals committed to driving change to make it happen. Meet GMG’s Board of Directors, Regional Representatives and Staff who believe that together, anything is possible.
Board of Directors
GMG’s Board of Directors represents the membership of GMG and is directly accountable to GMG’s members. It is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the organization, assuring that good process and governance is being followed, and upholding and adhering to GMG’s values.
Chair
Director, Digital Solutions Division, Epiroc
Mikael Ramström
Chair
Director, Digital Solutions Division, Epiroc
Mikael Ramström is Director Epiroc Digital Solutions Division and has more than 25 years of experience in innovation and solutions development for the global mining and construction industry. In different roles Mikael has made significant contributions to the mining sector with a focus on Safety, Innovation, Collaboration, Strategy and Technology.
Mikael graduated from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden with a M.Sc. in Electrical engineering in 1992. After graduation Mikael worked for five years on control and automation systems for the European Space Agency (ESA). Since 1999 Mikael has been working for Epiroc, formerly Atlas Copco Mining and Rock Excavation, in many positions including R&D, Product portfolio management, Business Development and Merger & Acquisitions.
Currently Mikael holds a position as Director, Epiroc Digital Solutions division with responsibility for Integrations and Strategic partnerships. External assignments while working at Epiroc include Chairman ISO/TC 82/SC 8 Automated and autonomous mining systems, and Sherpa to Epiroc CEO Helena Hedblom in the European Union Innovation Partnership (EIP) on Raw Materials.
Mikael has been involved in the European Knowledge and Innovation Community, EIT RawMaterials since 2011 and Chairman for EIT RawMaterials Northern Co-Location Centre in Luleå. In addition, Mikael has been a member of the board to Nordic Rock Tech Centre AB, Mobilaris MCE AB as well as a member to the board of SMI, a Strategic Innovation Programme for the Swedish Mining and Metal Producing Industry. Mikael was a member of the board to Luleå University of Technology from 2017 – 2023.
Mikael is Vice Chaiman of the Research and Innovation board of the Swedish mining association (Svemin) and has been involved in Global Mining Guidelines Group (GMG) for over 10 years in different projects and on the Leadership Advisory Board.
Adam MacMillan
Vice-Chair
Director of Processing, Research and Innovation - Vale Base Metals
Adam MacMillan
Vice-Chair
Director of Processing, Research and Innovation – Vale Base Metals
Adam (he/him) is the Director of Processing, Research and Innovation at Vale Base Metals (VBM). Adam is responsible for the development of the company’s R&D and Innovation strategy, roadmaps, and initiatives portfolio. Additionally, Adam supports the development of VBMs partnership ecosystem to deliver their vision of being the world’s leading supplier of critical minerals essential for the global energy transition.
Adam began his career with VBM in 2002 as an Engineer-In-Training (E.I.T.) with the Mines & Industrial Engineering department in Sudbury, Ontario, He has since held roles in operations supervision, business planning, and spent seven years with Vale in Brazil leading the Global Strategy Base Metals, Corporate Technology, and R&D teams. Upon returning to VBM in Canada, Adam led nickel strategy development, including entry into the electric vehicle (EV) market with their nickel sulphate plant, and established the Circular Mining & Metals program.
Adam holds undergraduate degrees in Business Administration from the University of New Brunswick and Applied Science in Industrial Engineering from the University of Windsor, and an MBA from Schulich, York University. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Ontario.
Sobia Amin
Director
Director of Product Strategy, Komatsu MTS
Sobia Amin
Director of Product Strategy
Komatsu MTS
Dr. Amin is a seasoned business executive with over 20 years of leadership experience in driving strategic initiatives, business development, and innovation across a diverse range of industries, including mining, defense, healthcare, and technology. Her comprehensive expertise spans product strategy, market growth, and cross-functional leadership, making her well-equipped to navigate complex global markets and deliver high-impact results.
Currently serving as the Director of Product Strategy at Komatsu Mining Technology Solutions, Dr. Amin is responsible for shaping the company’s product vision and roadmap, ensuring alignment with industry trends, customer needs, and emerging technologies. In this role, she leads a team of professionals in developing cutting-edge solutions that will shape the future of mining technology.
Dr. Amin’s prior experience includes senior leadership roles in the aero defense industry where she successfully led multi-billion-dollar strategic capture efforts, developed competitive business strategies, and drove sustainable growth. At Raytheon, she played an instrumental role in shaping regional strategies, leading cross-functional teams, and integrating data-driven insights into business decision-making processes. Her work in leading complex Six Sigma projects and facilitating global market expansion has earned her a reputation for driving both operational excellence and innovation.
As a multilingual professional, Dr. Amin has worked across diverse cultural environments, cultivating strong relationships with key customers and stakeholders globally. Her leadership is marked by an unwavering commitment to inclusivity, fostering collaboration, and encouraging diverse perspectives. She is known for empowering teams to deliver high-quality results and for her hands- on approach in mentoring employees to sustain best practices.
Driven by a passion for data analytics, Dr. Amin holds a Doctorate in Business Administration with a focus on Data Analytics. She is particularly interested in leveraging data to guide decision-making, optimizing business performance, and improving organizational outcomes. Her data-driven approach has been integral to driving successful strategic initiatives and shaping the future direction of businesses she has led.
Dr. Amin holds a variety of certifications, including Raytheon’s Capture Manager Certification, Six Sigma Expert, and Agile Scrum Master. In addition, Dr. Amin holds an active US Government Secret Clearance, underscoring her ability to handle sensitive projects and navigate complex regulatory environments.
With a deep commitment to driving innovation, building customer relationships, and developing scalable solutions, Dr. Amin is poised to contribute her expertise and global perspective to organizations committed to growth and transformation.
Felipe Merino
Director
Director, COP. Innovation Management, Codelco
Felipe Merino
Director, COP. Innovation Management
Codelco
Felipe Merino is a Senior Technical Leader at Codelco, where he has spent nearly two decades navigating the intersection of mining, innovation, and law. With a Master of Laws from The George Washington University and strategic training in AI from MIT Sloan, Felipe’s career is defined by his ability to bridge the gap between complex technical problems and the collaborative frameworks needed to solve them.
Throughout his leadership roles—including serving as General Manager of Codelco’s technology subsidiaries—Felipe has moved beyond traditional corporate boundaries to focus on open innovation and global tech scouting. His expertise lies in building the “connective tissue” of the industry: creating the R&D agreements, intellectual property strategies, and professional networks that allow mining companies to share knowledge and scale solutions effectively.
Erika Fretheim
Director
Chief Advisor, Airth.io
Erika Fretheim
Chief Advisor
Airth.io
Erika Fretheim is a mining engineer and technology leader with over 30 years of experience driving innovation, safety, and sustainability in the global mining industry. At airth.io, as Chief Strategy Officer and now Advisor, she focused on AI-driven platforms that integrate complex data to optimize mine operations, reducing variability and driving improved financial outcomes while guiding strategy for a scalable, remote-first organization. Previously, as Mine Technology Manager at Freeport-McMoRan, she led a 15-person technology team, implementing award-winning programs including a corporate UAS drone initiative (2017 NIOSH Award winner) and blast fragmentation monitoring systems.
As one of GMG’s first volunteers, Erika has contributed to the organization since its founding, as a participant and coordinator of workshops and events in Tucson. She brings a collaborative approach to technology adoption and is passionate about fostering multi-stakeholder solutions that benefit the entire mining industry. Erika is also a founding member of Mending Souls, a non-profit that promotes sustainable skills and community support.
Gertjan Bekkers
Director and Board Treasurer
Vice President Technical Services, Discovery Silver Corp
Gertjan Bekkers
Director, Independent Mining Advisor and
Board Treasurer, Global Mining Guidelines Group
Gertjan Bekkers is an independent mining advisor. A seasoned mining executive, he brings a broad experience in senior technical and operational leadership roles from across a diverse range of open-pit and underground mining operations, encompassing both precious and base metals.
His extensive on-the-ground knowledge equips him to lead initiatives spanning from strategic planning to operational excellence. He is particularly dedicated to the safe and efficient implementation of mining operations technology, underpinned by his Six Sigma Black Belt certification.
Gertjan previously held senior positions at Torex Gold Resources, Newmont and Glencore. He holds a Master’s degree in Mining and Petroleum Engineering from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.
Rafael Estrada
Director
Manager of Information Technology, Telecommunications & Process Control, Antamina
Rafael Estrada
Manager of Information Technology, Telecommunications and Process Control
Antamina
Rafael shares a great passion for the development of innovative solutions aimed at industrial sectors, he encourages the development of solutions through a collaborative and harmonious innovative ecosystem. He is the President of Perumin Hub for the second time (the largest mining innovation ecosystem in Latin America, with 23 participant mining companies and more than 100 associates worldwide).
Rafael has led the first mining technology hackathon worldwide, has promoted the development of the Peruvian mining, oil and energy society ‐ SNMPE technological innovation award; likewise, he is an active angel investor and advisor to technology startups in various countries.
He has a CIO certification by Carnegie Mellon University, Heinz College, an MBA with honors from the ESAN Graduate School of Business Administration and a professional background as Information Systems engineer.
He has been trained in management and innovation at Stanford Graduate School of Business, MIT Alfred P. Sloan School of Management, and the Peter Drucker Institute, Claremont University. Also has a diploma on international business from Tsinghua University.
He is the Manager of Information Systems, Telecommunications, and Process Control at Antamina Mining company, with more than 20 years of successful experience in technology management, industrial automation, and advanced analytics; also, is an angel investor and board member of startups in various countries. In his career he has achieved ISO 14001, ISO 9000, ISO 27001 and Sarbanes Oxley certifications, among others.
GMG Staff
So, what does it take to run an organization that is changing the mining industry, one guideline at a time? A little bit of grit, a little bit of creativity, and a lot of heart is what! And that is what you will find when you meet any one of GMG’s Staff, who work hard to set the table, bring the chairs, start the party and let the magic happen.
Andrew Scott
Interim CEO
Andrew Scott
Interim CEO
Andrew has been involved in the mining innovation arena since the very beginning of his career more than 35+ years ago. Having studied biotechnology and computer science at the University of Queensland, he was drawn to the mining industry as a means of funding his ongoing study (partially because of being the son of a geologist/geochemist). As a young field assistant, he quickly found himself fulfilling the role of “go-to” person for any new technology that needed to be investigated or implemented. Working for Placer Dome, Barrick Gold, as Senior Director Innovation on the “Mining Company of the Future” and supporting 28 mining operations and exploration activities on every continent shaped and nurtured Andrew to hone his deep collaboration capability. He is a true Collaborative Native. Pioneering work across multiple industries, Andrew was responsible for arranging the first Space act agreement between a mining company and NASA and has always seen opportunities between space and the resource sector. Andrew continues to push the envelope, exploring what the true meaning of “collaborative advantage” is.
Ultimately, Andrew is focused to make the world a better place through innovation and appropriate use of technology! Develop deep symbiotic collaboration to stimulate, accelerate, promote, and realize positive outcomes for humanity and planet earth.
Andrew was at the beginning of GMG becoming the first GMG Incoming Chairman, with Tim Skinner as Chairman, to then follow Tim as Chairman, Outgoing Chairman and Working Groups Chair. He thoroughly enjoys working with motivated and passionate people to improve the industry through collaboration, guidelines, and innovation.
Elaine Kinsella
Data and Membership Administration Manager
Elaine Kinsella
Data and Membership Administration Manager
Elaine loves working with volunteers. For more than 34 years, she worked for the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum (CIM), first in the accounting department and then joining the membership team in 2017 as the Constituent Services Coordinator. Her main goal was to build relationships to truly understand volunteers’ needs, support them and enable them to succeed.
Elaine spends her free time practicing the piano, riding her motorcycle, and spending time with her family, friends, and dogs.
Gillian Jazzar
Events Coordinator
Gillian Jazzar
Events Coordinator
Gillian has been involved in the mining and metallurgy industries since 1998. As the former Manager of Administration & Meeting Planning at MetSoc of CIM she established trusted relationships across multiple companies and organizations to create memorable events across Canada.
After a hiatus being a stay-at-home mom with extensive volunteer positions (overseeing, organizing and planning anything and everything possible!) Gillian leapt back into the mining world by joining GMG in October 2022. She is excited to be working with a talented group of old friends and building relationships with a new group of soon-to-be old friends.
Gillian currently resides in Toronto with her daughter, husband and rescue mutt. Outside of work, travel adventures are the only thing that can reasonably compete for the top spot in her heart other than her family.
Heather Turnbull
Community Relationships
Heather Turnbull
Community Relationships Officer
Heather joined GMG in October of 2017, fresh off a 14-year maternity leave and armed with no greater knowledge of the mining industry than her experience panning for gold at Bonanza Creek’s Claim No 6 near Dawson City and Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (you mean the 7 globes in GMG’s logo don’t represent the 7 dwarves?!). Her education in Natural Sciences – Applied Ecology and her previous work experience as a journalist for a local newspaper, a nature interpreter at a provincial park, and Executive Assistant at the Trans Canada Trail Foundation equipped her with skills that she finds quite useful in her current role.
While on “maternity leave”, Heather not only successfully raised her two children, who are her pride and joy, but dabbled in breeding draft horses, beef cattle (cow-calf production), turkeys, chickens and pigs. Aside from the horses and the kids, the other ventures were all short-lived… if you know what I mean. Agricultural efforts are now focused on stone-picking, cash crops, maple syrup production and her acre of asparagus.
In addition to her farming adventures, Heather also volunteered at the local elementary school, managing the library, and supporting in-school activities (which meant getting to go on lots of field trips and has contributed to her excitement when getting to travel for GMG!). This constant in-school presence allowed her to take on the role of replacement secretary and attendant for students with special needs. Skills acquired in this school setting also prove useful in certain situations!
Her commitment to her community saw her founding and organizing the local Santa Claus Parade and fundraising Christmas concert, featuring both local talents and members of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, for 10 consecutive years. She sat on the Board of Directors for a local non-profit organization dedicated to the development and well-being of the community’s families, chairing the board for 13 of her 15 years of involvement. She currently sits on the board of a non-profit foundation that provides funding to support local children in need.
Her current mission is to dip her toes in the Arctic Ocean, thereby completing her tour of ocean toe-dipping. Until then, you can find her wandering through her back woods, kicking stones, hoping to turn up her golden nugget and looking for that next diamond in the rough.
Tim Skinner
Chief Administration Officer
Tim Skinner
Chief Administration Officer
Tim Skinner graduated from the University of Waterloo in 1974 with a Bachelor of Mathematics. He has more than 40 years in mining and minerals processing with Cominco, Fording Coal, NYCO Minerals, and Elk Valley Coal. His experience has focused on digital technology and systems for information, operational, real time control, and advanced automation. He retired as general manager, information systems for Elk Valley Coal in 2007, and is now president of his own consulting practice, SMART Systems Group.
Tim is an active volunteer and passionate supporter of advancing computing and automation in mining. He was a member of the Surface Mining Association for Research and Technology (SMART) which led to the creation of GMG, under Tim’s leadership, and was chair of Canada’s ISO (International Standards Organization) TC82 Mining Mirror Committee and International Chair of ISO TC82 Subcommittee8 Advanced Automated Mining Systems, and is a Canadian expert for ISO mining automation standards.