Barrick Gold appoints Sebastiaan Bock to lead international operations

Barrick Gold has appointed Sebastiaan Bock as the new head of its international operations, overseeing gold and copper assets outside of North America. This leadership change serves as a strategic step in the company’s restructuring plan to spin off its North American assets into an independent entity, with an initial public offering targeted by the end of 2026.

Bock’s new role focuses on a portfolio spanning Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific. Chairman John Thornton indicated that this international division is positioned to leverage deeper partnerships with Chinese firms through joint mine ownership and co-investment. Such collaborations are intended to provide access to advanced technologies, efficient supply chains, and shared infrastructure.

Barrick currently maintains several joint ventures with Chinese companies, including the Porgera gold mine in Papua New Guinea with Zijin Mining and the Veladero mine in Argentina with Shandong Gold. The company aims to grow its international gold equivalent production by more than 20% over the next three years.