Heliostar Metals Hires Hernan Dorado as VP of Sustainability: 4 Things to Know

Heliostar Metals has hired Hernan Dorado as VP of sustainability and special projects, the gold mining company announced.

Here are four things to know about the Heliostar Metals business and sustainability focus, and Dorado's executive experience, and recent CSO news in the mining sector.

1. Business Focus: Heliostar Metals, founded in 1983, is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The company's focus involves gold mining projects in Mexico and Alaska, United States. The Heliostar Metals website, as of October 2024, does not mention a sustainability report or net-zero strategy.

2. Executive Background: Dorado has over 20 years of experience in the mining industry in Mexico and overseas. He previously was a founding member of Guanajuato Silver, where he served as chief operating officer and CSO. He is the fifth generation of his family to focus on the mining sector, Heliostar Metals said.

3. Executive Perspectives: In a prepared statement, Heliostar CEO Charles Funk said: "We are pleased to add Hernan to the team. Hernan is a dynamic, young leader in the mining industry in Mexico with a proven track record of creating shareholder value. Hernan bolsters our in-country leadership and will oversee our permitting, community and environmental management, reporting to the Chief Operating Officer. He will further take the lead on advising the Company's strategy for the Cerro del Gallo project in Guanajuato state. Heliostar's production profile is growing quickly, and I believe with our recent additions to Management, we have the team in place to deliver in 2024 and 2025."

4. Mining and Metals - CSO Trends: Multiple mining and metals businesses have hired or promoted executives into the CSO role so far in 2024. Noteworthy moves include:

• Harmony Gold Mining, the largest gold mining company in South Africa, hired Urishanie Govender as CSO.
• Sibanye-Stillwater hired Melanie Naidoo-Vermaak as CSO. She joined the mining and metals processing company on January 1, 2024.
• Teck Resources, a provider of various metals for the energy transition, hired Lyndon Arnall as executive VP and chief legal and sustainability officer, effective November 1, 2024.

Chief Sustainability Officers: Why Technology Partners Should Care

By 2027, 25% of Global 2000 companies will have assigned a chief sustainability officer (CSO) responsible for meeting their organization’s ESG goals and making ESG-related IT purchasing decisions, according to IDC.

The bottom line: Technology partners need to extend their sales, marketing, engagement and support strategies to successfully fulfill those CSO customer needs, Sustainable Tech Partner believes.