Buin's Johnny Auna is new boss at BCL
14 January 2025
| Bougainville Copper Ltd
BUKA - Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) has announced the appointment of Johnny Patterson Auna as chief executive officer.
Mr Auna, from Laguai Village, Buin, in South Bougainville, joined BCL in March last year as chief financial officer and company secretary.
He has been acting CEO since July 2024, following the resignation of the late David Osikore due to health reasons.
Mr Auna’s late father, Joseph Lawrence Auna, served as BCL’s first Papua New Guinean and Bougainvillean general manager, heading its personnel services division in 1989.
Johnny Auna has more than 30 years’ experience in finance and accounting, strategic planning, senior management and corporate operations in the private and public sectors in PNG and Australia.
He has served on several boards as a director and chairman and is a certified practising accountant who holds several qualifications, including a Bachelor of Business in Accountancy from Deakin University in Australia.
Mr Auna said he was honoured and privileged to work for and lead the new BCL management team and thanked the board for its confidence in him.
“I consider this to be a once in a lifetime opportunity given the significance of where things sit with BCL as a Bougainvillean company and the Bougainville government’s plans and negotiations with the national government for independence,” he said.
“The redevelopment of the Panguna mine is a key impact project that Bougainville needs to ramp up its economy and act as a catalyst for further economic development for Bougainville, its people, and all stakeholders.”
Prior to joining BCL, Mr Auna was secretary of the autonomous Bougainville government’s Department of Treasury and Finance.
Mr Auna takes on the CEO role at a pivotal time for BCL as the company moves to a more active operational phase.
Last February, the company was granted a five-year extension of its EL01 exploration licence in the Panguna mine project area.
“This, together with the signing of a Land Access and Compensation Agreement with landowners, laid the groundwork for the redevelopment of the Panguna mine,” Mr Auna said.
Work will be completed this year on landowner identification studies and social mapping as well as modelling and pre-feasibility studies.
Lines of communication are being opened with potential project development partners and operational structures and funding arrangements are to be explored.
“I look forward to working with all BCL stakeholders as the new CEO to ensure that Panguna’s redevelopment is implemented in an environmental, social and commercially responsible and viable manner,” Mr Auna said.
BCL chairman, Sir Melchior Togolo said Mr Auna’s local knowledge and connections across government and the broader community will be invaluable to project advancement.
Mr Auna will continue to act as chief financial officer and company secretary until a new appointment is made.
Mr Auna is a son of Bougainville and is well versed in the history and cultural dynamics of North Solomon Province, including the origins of the Bougainville crisis.
He was a young man when the crisis started, but has matured through training and long years of service.
His addition to the Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) executive team is an important strategic move for the company.
Posted by: Simon Davidson | 17 January 2025 at 06:26 PM