Career
Upon graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce degree (with honors) from the University of British Columbia in 2001, Watson enrolled in the Institute of Chartered Accountants and began articling with the professional services firm Deloitte and Touche. Watson was awarded the "BC Gold Medal" on the final CA examination, scoring the highest mark in Western Canada and becoming the Valedictorian of in the Institute of Chartered Accountants of British Columbia. [9] He went on to complete the Chartered Financial Analyst designation through the CFA Institute, and was later recognized as one of the "Most Motivated" CFA charterholders by CFA magazine. [10] Although Watson's area of focus during his time at Deloitte was mining and metals, he had not considered a career in the industry until he was given the opportunity to join Silver Wheaton alongside Ian Telfer, the highly regarded mining entrepreneur. Telfer's new venture aimed to create the first ever ‘metal streaming company' by completing Volumetric Production Payment transactions. At 25 years of age, Watson became the Controller of Silver Wheaton and a short time later by the age of 26, was named Chief Financial Officer making him the youngest CFO of a multi-billion dollar market capitalization company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. In his four-year tenure with Silver Wheaton, Watson helped raise over US$1 billion in debt and equity to fund the organization’s growth to a multi-billion market capitalization. [3]
With his experience at Silver Wheaton behind him, Watson decided to embark on a new venture with business partner David Awram, and created Sandstorm Resources, (now Sandstorm Gold), [4] a metal streaming company focused on gold purchase agreements. [11]
In 2022, Nolan co-founded and became chairman of Blue Dot Carbon Corp, a carbon credit streaming company that provides financing to project developers of carbon reduction projects. [12]
Nolan is a board member of the World Gold Council.
Eldorado Gold Corporation is a Canadian company that owns and operates gold mines in Turkey, Greece and Canada. Since its merger with European Goldfields in 2011 the company has been pursuing the development of the Skouries mine, Olympias mine and Stratoni mine in Greece. The company previously developed and operated gold mines in China, Brazil and Mexico. Headquartered in Vancouver and listed on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges, Eldorado Gold has developed and operated assets from several merged companies HRC Developments Corporation, Afcan Mining Corporation, Sino Gold Mining, Brazauro Resources, Integra Gold, as well as European Goldfields.
Newcrest Mining Limited is an Australian-based corporation which engages in the exploration, development, mining and sale of gold and the froth flotation product, gold-copper concentrate. It is Australia's leading gold mining company and its operations have expanded beyond Australia, for example Indonesia, thus becoming a prominent international mining corporation. Newmont initially started the company as a subsidiary in 1966. The subsidiary became Newmont Holdings Pvt Ltd in 1980 and in 1990 acquired 100 per cent of Australmin Holdings Limited taking the current name.
Yamana Gold Inc. is a Canadian company that owns and operates gold, silver and copper mines in Canada, Chile, Brazil and Argentina. Headquartered in Toronto, the company was founded in 1994 and became listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange in 1995, the New York Stock Exchange in 2007, and the London Stock Exchange in 2020. The company became a gold producer after its 2003 re-restructuring in which Peter Marrone took over as chief executive officer and it merged with Brazilian company Santa Elina Mines Corporation. The combined company was able to use Yamana's access to capital with Santa Elina development properties to bring the Chapada mine into production. From there the company combined with other TSX-listed companies RNC Gold, Desert Sun Mining, Viceroy Exploration, Northern Orion Resources, Meridian Gold, Osisko Mining and Extorre Gold Mines which each contributed either a producing mine or a development project that was able to come into commercial production. The company was acquired by Pan American Silver in March 2023.
Kinross Gold Corporation is a Canadian-based gold and silver mining company founded in 1993 and headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Kinross currently operates six active gold mines, and was ranked fifth of the "10 Top Gold-mining Companies" of 2019 by InvestingNews. The company's mines are located in Brazil, Mauritania, and the United States. It trades under the KGC ticker in the New York Stock Exchange, and under K in the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Frank Giustra is a Canadian businessman, mining financier and global philanthropist, who founded Lionsgate Entertainment. He is also the CEO of Fiore Group of Companies and co-chair of the International Crisis Group think tank. From 2001 to 2007, he was the chairman of the merchant banking firm, Endeavour Financial, which financed mining companies. Since 2005, he has been involved with the Uranium One controversy after a $31.3 million donation to the Clinton Foundation.,, ,, ,.
Pan American Silver Corporation is a mining company based in Canada with operations in Latin America. The company has mines and other projects in Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina.
Lundin Mining Corporation is a Canadian company that owns and operates mines in Sweden, United States, Chile, Portugal and Brazil that produce base metals such as copper, zinc, and nickel. Headquartered in Toronto, the company was founded by Adolf Lundin and operated by Lukas Lundin. While it was incorporated to pursue an interest in a diamond mine in Brazil, the company re-structured and raised funds to develop the Storliden mine in Sweden. It purchased the Swedish Zinkgruvan Mine from Rio Tinto and then merged with Arcon International Resources for its Galmoy Mine in Ireland and with Eurozinc for its Neves-Corvo mine in Portugal. The company subsequently purchased and operated the Eagle mine, Candelaria mine, and Chapada mine.
IAMGOLD is an intermediate gold producer and developer based in Canada with operating mines in North America and West Africa. The Company has commenced production at the large-scale, long life Côté Gold Mine in partnership with Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. Ltd., which is expected to be among the largest gold mines in Canada. In addition, the Company has an established portfolio of early stage and advanced exploration projects within high potential mining districts. IAMGOLD employs approximately 3,600 people and is committed to maintaining its culture of accountable mining through high standards of Environmental, Social and Governance practices, including its commitment to Zero Harm®, in every aspect of its business. IAMGOLD is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:IAG) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:IMG) and is one of the companies on the Jantzi Social Index, a socially screened market capitalization-weighted consisting of companies which pass a set of broadly based environmental, social and governance rating criteria.
Telfer is a minesite and company town in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, within the Great Sandy Desert. It is the state's most isolated town and is located 1,300 kilometres (808 mi) north-east of the state capital Perth. The gold, copper, and silver mine is run by Newcrest Mining, and is one of the largest gold mines in Australia.
The Telfer Mine is a gold, copper and silver mine located at Telfer on the land of the Martu people, in the Great Sandy Desert of Western Australia. It is owned by Newmont, having acquired the previous owner, Newcrest Mining, formerly the largest gold producer listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, in November 2023.
Franco-Nevada Corporation is a Toronto, Ontario, Canada-based, gold-focused royalty and streaming company with a diversified portfolio of cash-flow producing assets. It is traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange.
Precious metals streaming is a term for when a company makes an agreement with a mining company to purchase all or part of their precious metals production at a predetermined discounted price to which both parties agree. In return, streaming companies provide upfront financing for mining companies looking for capital. The precious metals defined by the agreement are usually a by-product of what the mining company's business is based on, typically base metals such as copper. The first known example of precious metals streaming was in 1987, relating to gold at the Goldstrike mine.
A volumetric production payment (VPP) deal is a means of financing that has been used in the oil and gas industry for several decades. A VPP involves the owner of an oil and gas property selling a percentage of their production in exchange for an upfront cash payment. Typically, smaller exploration and production companies are seen utilizing VPP agreements as it allows them to raise capital while retaining full ownership of their property and not diluting their company’s equity position.
Sandstorm Gold Ltd. is a Canadian company that provides funding to mining companies in exchange for royalties, principally in the form of net smelter returns and streams. The company focuses on precious metals but did spin off Sandstorm Metals & Energy Ltd. in 2010 as a separate TSX Venture Exchange-listed company to make volumetric production payment transactions in the base metal and fossil fuel sectors, then bought it back in 2014. Sandstorm Gold graduated from the TSX Venture Exchange to the Toronto Stock Exchange and began listing shares on the New York Stock Exchange in 2012.
Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. is a Canadian multinational precious metals streaming company. It produces over 26 million ounces and sells over 29 million ounces of silver mined by other companies as a by-product of their main operations.
New Gold Inc. is a Canadian mining company that owns and operates the New Afton gold-silver-copper mine in British Columbia and the Rainy River gold-silver mine in Ontario, Canada. Through a Mexican subsidiary company, they also own the Cerro San Pedro gold-silver mine in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, which ceased operation in 2017. While New Gold was founded in 1980 for the purposes of mineral exploration, the company became a mine operator with its merger of Peak Gold and Metallica Resources in 2008. A fourth company, Western Goldfields, joined in 2009. Together they operated the Peak mine in Australia and Mesquite Mine in California but sold both in 2018. Headquartered in Toronto, shares of the company are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange and NYSE American.
First Majestic Silver Corp. is a Canadian silver-mining company that operates in Mexico and the United States. It has four producing mines under its control: San Dimas Silver/Gold Mine, Santa Elena Silver/Gold Mine, La Encantada Silver Mine, and Jerritt Canyon Gold Mine. First Majestic also produces and sells its own bullion rounds and bars.
Ian Gillespie is a Canadian real estate developer. In 1992 he founded Westbank Projects Corp. based in Vancouver, British Columbia, which now has more than $25 billion of projects completed or under development. The company is active across Canada and expanding into the United States with projects including residential, rental, affordable housing, office, retail, hotels and public art.
Ian Telfer is a British-born Canadian mining executive, entrepreneur and former chairman of Goldcorp Inc. Besides leading Goldcorp, he is known for founding and leading other Canadian mining companies, including TVX Gold, Silver Wheaton Corp., and Uranium One, as well as for his philanthropic efforts that include a donation of $25 million to the University of Ottawa's School of Management, now the Telfer School of Management.
Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd is a Canadian company that holds royalties in gold, silver and diamond mines, principally in the form of net smelter returns and streams. The company also invests in mineral exploration companies in the form of purchases of shares. Like its predecessor company, Osisko Mining, it is headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, with shares listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange.
