Damien Wynn
Mining Executive
Brisbane,QLD
Summary
Dynamic executive leader with over 20 years of experience steering large-scale teams and projects for major global resource companies. Expertise in setting and executing production, financial, and capital budgets that enhance technical and operational functions, consistently driving exceptional business results across assets exceeding $2 billion. Recognised for fostering innovation and implementing industry-leading best practices while providing coaching, training, and mentorship to senior leadership teams. A strong advocate for continuous improvement, stakeholder engagement, and operational efficiency, with a proven track record as a Company Director in joint venture partnerships.
Overview
23
23
years of professional experience
Work History
General Manager and Site Senior Executive
Glencore Australia - Oaky Creek Coal Complex
08.2022 - Current
- Promote safety and environmental sustainability, inspiring safety vision, empowering the workforce, and celebrating successes.
- Establish and deliver strategic priorities and oversee the implementation of processes, policies, systems, and practices to maximise operational efficiencies.
- Develop and execute short- and long-term strategies that support the growth of mine operations and optimise production efficiency.
- Provide evidence-based advice to support decision-making, in compliance with regulatory responsibilities aligned with the company’s long-term interests.
- Maintain a transparent reporting system relevant and appropriate for each stakeholder and represent the company during committee, stakeholder, and external working or consultative meetings.
- Build strong, sustainable, productive relationships with communities, government representatives, and other external industry stakeholders.
- Key Achievements:
- Managed the integration of multiple, diverse, and complex functions vulnerable to the influence of external social, economic, technological, and environmental events.
- Attracted, developed, and directed a strong team to deliver the site strategy and achieve operational objectives while maximising local talent and maintaining a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment.
- Cultivated a culture of excellence through mentorship, training, and professional development best practice.
- Promoted and advocated health and safety compliance, role modelling expectations of performance and behaviour.
- Encouraged innovation, embrace collaborative work practices, and grow the workforce’s capability.
General Manager and Site Senior Executive
Anglo American Plc – Grosvenor Metallurgical Coal Mining Mine
06.2021 - 05.2022
- Led a robust risk management approach to achieve zero harm, enabling a proactive safety culture for over 800 employees and contractors, to ensure the safe production of 7Mtpa of metallurgical coal for the export market.
- Oversaw the successful recommencement of Grosvenor Mine (a $2.5B asset) after a major incident that resulted in the operations ceasing for 18 months.
- Formulated the annual operating and capital budgets with established financial guidelines and business planning process and approved the monthly P&L statements.
- Compiled and presented detailed reports to the CEO and Board to support weekly, bi-weekly, and quarterly report-outs and decision-making.
- Acted as the change agent responsible for transforming the asset and improving the community’s perception by championing organisational values, setting the cultural tone, and prioritising business goals.
- Served as a trusted partner and subject matter expert (SME) accountable for stakeholder engagement, including working with MPs, Government Regulators, CFMEU, Joint Venture Partners, and the community.
- Coordinated a multidisciplinary team from the technical, engineering, and due diligence departments for 18 months.
- Directed a cross-functional and multidisciplinary team of eight direct reports, including operations, HR, commercial, compliance, technical, business improvement, engineering and maintenance, and surface infrastructure.
- Drove improvement in cost management and maintained financial accountability for delivering on key multidisciplinary long-term projects.
- Negotiated and secured approval from the Anglo-American Board and the Government Regulator to recommence production.
- Liaised with the Government and other external stakeholders, including the media, and represented the company at the Government Board of Inquiry (B.O.I) into the previous incident.
- Key Achievements:
- Accomplished procuring new $150M longwall equipment from China to recommence operations after the Board’s and government regulators’ approval.
- Organised training opportunities to change the organisational culture and ensure that all 800 personnel were fully trained to operate the facility safely within the designed capacity after the recommencement of operations.
- Secured approval to review the existing 100% labour hire model for the five-year-old Grosvenor Mine (the only mine in QLD with a 100% contractor workforce).
- Implemented and managed an operating budget of over $300M and delivered revenue of over $500M by ensuring objectives remained on target.
General Manager and Site Senior Executive
Anglo American Plc - Grasstree Mine
09.2018 - 05.2021
- Implemented best-in-class work standards, practices, and procedures with a strong focus on operational excellence.
- Championed a proactive safety culture for over 700 employees and contractors in the production of 8Mtpa metallurgical coal.
- Re-established the Grasstree mine to peak production after the discontinuation of a 12-month divestment decision by Anglo American that didn’t proceed, which saw a reduction in spend and activities completed that required 12 months of substantial project work before returning to BAU status and maximum operational capability.
- Drove transformational initiatives targeted at financial performance, including the successful implementation of a new Operating Model.
- Represented the company at the Coroner’s Inquest related to improvements made across the mining site and operations after a fatality several years before commencing work at the site.
- Key Achievements:
- Defined and executed a strategic business plan to support the asset’s realignment, increasing revenue by $120M by preventing a discontinuity in coal supply.
- Achieved a 65% reduction in Workcover changes by promoting a safety culture, executing control measures, and reviewing policies and procedures to achieve zero harm.
- Coordinated a mine closure committee in delivering a gala event to celebrate the teams’ (700 personnel) achievements and over 20 years of operational success at the mine.
Operations Manager and Site Senior Executive
Glencore Coal – Oaky North Mine
01.2016 - 08.2018
- Supported Glencore’s commitment to a safety culture amongst over 500 employees and contractors, allowing the safe production of 6Mtpa metallurgical coal products for the export market.
- Formulated and directed an industrial relations strategy, including safely managing operations throughout an 8-month lockout/strike, which enabled Glencore to take back control of a restricted Enterprise Agreement (EA) and operation being led by the CFMEU – one of the longest-running industrial disputes in Queensland.
- Negotiated a new modern, flexible enterprise agreement that was finalised with CFMEU’s president under the supervision of the Fair Work Commission, allowing 60 personnel to move on from the business.
- Designed and commissioned a return-to-work program that ran for four weeks to assist with the integration and resumption of operations for the 350 enterprise agreement employees.
- Key Achievements:
- Increased production hours from 54 to 94 hours per week, equivalent to a 74% increment that delivered top-line growth.
- Leveraged robust public relations and media skills to interface with Bill Shorten (leader of the opposition and the Australian Labour Party) upon an unannounced arrival at the front gate to support an ongoing coal mine workers’ strike.
Site Senior Executive & Underground Mine Manager
Glencore Coal – Oaky North Mine
01.2015 - 12.2015
- Provided technical guidance for large projects of high complexity and evaluated, selected, and commissioned all mining-engineered systems.
- Monitored compliance with core KPIs to support operations within the company’s expectations with a primary focus on safety, quality, law, delivery, and cost.
- Researched, developed, and drove the continuous improvement and cost savings functions that benefited the organisation while emphasising continued elevated levels of delivery, quality, and services.
- Assisted with identifying, scanning, indexing, updating, reviewing, approving, and enforcing mechanical integrity test reports.
- Ensured best practice methods and continuous improvement systems were developed and maintained for the mine and benchmarked against other operations.
- Additional Experience:
- Site Senior Executive & Underground Mine Manager (2013 - 2014) Glencore Coal, Newlands Northern Mine
- Production Manager (2012 - 2013) Xstrata Coal - Oaky No. 1 Mine
- Longwall Superintendent (2011 - 2012) Anglo American Metallurgical Coal - Grasstree Mine
- Technical Services Manager (2010 - 2011) Anglo American Metallurgical Coal – Capcoal Complex
- Principal Mining Engineer (2008 - 2010) Anglo American Metallurgical Coal – Corporate Office
Education
Bachelor of Engineering Mining (Hons) -
University of New South Wales
Diploma - Business Improvement
Lean Six Sigma
Company Directors Course -
Australian Institute of Company Directors
Site Senior Executive Notice (SSE) -
Queensland Government
First Class Mine Managers Certificate -
Queensland Government
Skills
Board engagement
Operations management
Business process optimisation
Strategic business planning
Health and safety improvements
Stakeholder collaboration
Building culture and leadership capability
Effective negotiation
Effective conflict resolution
Due Diligence and Corporate governance
Accomplishments
Strategic Leadership: Successfully led the recovery and restart of a $2.5B metallurgical coal asset after an 18-month operational halt, securing board and regulatory approvals.
Operational Efficiency: Integrated multiple operational functions across a complex mining asset, enhancing organizational resilience and driving a 74% increase in productivity.
Safety and Compliance: Reinforced a visible safety leadership culture, significantly reducing WorkCover costs by 65% through improved risk controls and proactive safety measures.
Team Development: Built a high-performing leadership team, fostering engagement and diversity, and implemented comprehensive workforce capability programs for over 800 personnel.
Financial Management: Managed an operating budget exceeding $300M, generating over $500M in revenue post-recommencement of operations.
Stakeholder Engagement: Rebuilt community and stakeholder confidence through transparent engagement and cultural transformation initiatives, effectively representing the company in high-profile forums.
Innovation in Workforce Strategy: Initiated the review of a unique 100% contractor workforce model, paving the way for long-term workforce strategy reforms.
Timeline
General Manager and Site Senior Executive
Glencore Australia - Oaky Creek Coal Complex
08.2022 - Current
General Manager and Site Senior Executive
Anglo American Plc – Grosvenor Metallurgical Coal Mining Mine
06.2021 - 05.2022
General Manager and Site Senior Executive
Anglo American Plc - Grasstree Mine
09.2018 - 05.2021
Operations Manager and Site Senior Executive
Glencore Coal – Oaky North Mine
01.2016 - 08.2018
Site Senior Executive & Underground Mine Manager
Glencore Coal – Oaky North Mine
01.2015 - 12.2015
Bachelor of Engineering Mining (Hons) -
University of New South Wales
Diploma - Business Improvement
Lean Six Sigma
Company Directors Course -
Australian Institute of Company Directors
Site Senior Executive Notice (SSE) -
Queensland Government
First Class Mine Managers Certificate -
Queensland Government