Editorial: Iamgold’s Letwin tells of hard lessons learned in keynote at PMF – by John Cumming (Northern Miner – October 24, 2017)

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A careful implementation of innovative technology and management techniques is key to thriving in the mining industry in the decades to come. That was the message from many speakers, panelists and delegates at the inaugural Progressive Mine Forum presented by The Northern Miner on Oct. 23 in Toronto.

The forum sponsors included IBM, PearTree Securities, PwC Canada, Rio Tinto, Hard-Line, Major Drilling, Hatch and MacLean Engineering.

The event location itself represented the ideals of the day: the carefully restored Art Moderne-style Carlu concert hall and banquet facility, which was one of North America’s premiere concert and party venues from its opening in 1931 through the 1960s. It lay shuttered and almost forgotten by the public from 1976 until its grand reopening with modern amenities in 2003.

Iamgold president and CEO Stephen Letwin kicked off the day with an impassioned, personal speech that underscored the hard business lessons to embrace innovation and fight off complacency.

He recalled a searing moment at age 26 in the oilpatch in Calgary, when he witnessed the “Elon Musk-like” wunderkind Jack Gallagher at age 65 weeping uncontrollably in his boardroom after losing a company he’d spent 33 years building from a one-man operation into one of Canada’s largest companies.

For the rest of this article: http://www.northernminer.com/people-in-mining/editorial-iamgolds-letwin-tells-hard-lessons-learned-keynote-pmf/1003790723/