1) Fast Track – what is it for you To me, the FT Programme is an invaluable opportunity to gain a vast amount of technical and corporate experience across multiple-disciplines and business units over a relatively short period of time, giving you the chance to add contribute significantly to the company’s operations whilst also progressing one’s career much faster than might otherwise be possible elsewhere.

2) What are your career expectations next 1-2-5 years Over the course of the programme, I hope to gain a holistic understanding of Nordgold’s mineral resource management (from greenfields exploration through to resource definition and mine geology) as well as a fundamental appreciation of the mining and metallurgical departments’ day-to-day operations. In addition, working on a combination of both technical and business improvement projects not only at Bissa but also potentially across other mines within the Company’s portfolio would hopefully provide me with the effective skills required to subsequently move into more direct managerial roles.

3) How do your coaches and mentors take part in your projects So far, I’ve been supported by two coaches whilst working at Bissa: the BSN Director and Chief Exploration Geologist. Both have been very hands-on and proactive in providing guidance regarding routine project design and implementation, but the opportunity to work closely with such figures has also been extremely valuable when it comes to understanding the Company’s procedures and general business strategy. Note - I can’t meaningfully comment on the involvement of my mentor because I only had a couple of short calls with Iggy before he left, and Arnand hasn’t been available yet for an introductory discussion.

4) How did you find out info about Fast Track program 3 years ago I first came across the programme when browsing LinkedIn through a number of posts from Nordgold advertising the scheme, and then followed up for more details by looking at the website and getting in touch with a contact at Bissa who had studied at the same university as me and worked for the same previous company.

5) Your impressions in general (about program, company) Having been working within the natural resources industry for roughly 5 years before joining, Nordgold’s Fast Track programme was the first widely available company-led scheme that I had seen advertised which directly focused on developing the technical and leadership abilities of early career professionals, so that aspect alone made it very unique amongst its competitors. More broadly, as a company, Nordgold seems clearly driven to grow and secure its longer term future through the acquisition of more advanced staged projects which it can develop into successful mines; and whilst this inherently has a notable positive implications for the business as a whole, this would also likely translate to even greater career opportunities going forward.

Regards, Huw Huw Richards

Management Trainee (Geoscience) Bissa Gold SA, Burkina Faso – Nordgold

Mobile: +226 77 35 17 32 (BFA)

WhatsApp: +44 7411 670 251 (GBR)

Email: huw.richards@nordgold.com