Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Johnny Patterson Auna as Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Mr Auna, who hails from Laguai Village, Buin in South Bougainville, joined BCL in March 2024 as Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary. He has also been serving in the role of Acting CEO since July 2024, following the unfortunate resignation of the late David Osikore, due to health reasons.
Mr Auna’s appointment follows a proud family legacy with his late father Joseph Lawrence Auna, serving as BCL’s first Papua New Guinean and Bougainvillean general manager, heading up its Personnel Services Division in 1989.
Johnny Auna is a highly regarded executive with more than 30 years’ experience in finance and accounting, strategic planning, senior management, and corporate operations in both the private and public sectors in PNG and Australia. He has also served on several boards as both 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 be given the opportunity to work for and lead the new BCL management team as CEO 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 ABG’s plans and negotiations for Independence with the National Government,” 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 served as Secretary of the Department of Treasury and Finance with the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG). During his diverse career to date, he has also served as a managing director, general manager, CEO, accountant, business consultant and commodity trader.
Mr Auna takes on the CEO role at a pivotal time for BCL as the company moves to a more active operational phase. In February 2024, the company was granted a five-year extension of its EL01 exploration licence in the Panguna mine project area.
“The granting of EL01 by the ABG and signing of a Land Access and Compensation Agreement with landowners in 2024 lays the groundwork for the redevelopment of the Panguna mine to commence,” Mr Auna said.
As a brownfield project, work will be completed this year on landowner identification studies and social mapping as well as modelling and pre-feasibility studies using existing intellectual property resource data. Lines of communication are also being opened with potential project development partners and operational structures and funding arrangements will also 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. He will also continue to act as Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary until a new appointment for these positions is made.
