Oil Veteran James Deckelman Takes Helm at Copperhead Resources

VANCOUVER, BC – January 05, 2026 – Copperhead Resources Inc. (CSE: CUH) announced a significant leadership overhaul today, appointing seasoned oil and gas executive James A. Deckelman as its new Chief Executive Officer. The move, which coincides with the resignation of officer Kevin Zhou, signals a potentially transformative era for the junior mining company as it focuses on its promising gold project in Newfoundland.

In addition to Deckelman's appointment, the Vancouver-based company announced that its Chief Financial Officer and director, Denise Lok, will expand her role to include Corporate Secretary. The company thanked Mr. Zhou for his service and contributions in its official release.

The appointment of a CEO with a deep background in petroleum exploration to lead a firm focused on precious metals and critical elements is a noteworthy strategic decision. It suggests Copperhead may be looking to leverage cross-sector expertise to unlock value and accelerate its growth.

A Veteran Explorer with a Global Track Record

James A. Deckelman is not a newcomer to the resource sector, bringing over 25 years of international experience in discovery, operations, and corporate strategy. His career includes high-level executive and technical roles at global energy giants such as ConocoPhillips, BP, and Talisman. During his time at these firms, he was instrumental in the discovery and advancement of major resource portfolios across the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East.

More recently, Mr. Deckelman served as the Chief Exploration Officer for GeoPark (NYSE: GPRK), a prominent Latin American energy producer. Appointed in late 2023, he was lauded as a highly successful explorer credited with generating over $2 billion in net present value and adding over one billion barrels of recoverable resources throughout his career. His work in Latin America spanned projects and transactions in key markets including Colombia, Brazil, and Mexico. In 2021, his contributions to the field were recognized when he was named one of the "Industry's 100 Who Made a Difference" by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists.

His most recent CEO tenure was at BluEnergies Ltd. (TSXV: BLU) through 2024 and into 2025, where he guided the company through a reverse takeover and its subsequent listing on the TSX Venture Exchange before resigning in May 2025 for personal reasons. With a Master’s degree in Geology, Deckelman's foundational expertise in earth sciences provides a strong bridge between the worlds of hydrocarbon and mineral exploration.

A Strategic Pivot for Mineral Exploration?

The decision to place an oil and gas veteran at the helm of a mineral exploration company raises questions about Copperhead's future strategy. While seemingly disparate, the two industries share fundamental principles. The core skills of geological interpretation, subsurface imaging, risk assessment, and large-scale project management are highly transferable.

Deckelman's experience in leveraging advanced exploration techniques, such as sophisticated seismic imaging and data analytics common in the oil and gas sector, could provide Copperhead with a competitive edge. Applying these capital-intensive methodologies to the search for gold and critical minerals could lead to more efficient, data-driven discovery and de-risking of projects. His proven ability to develop and execute corporate strategy at a global scale will be critical as Copperhead seeks to advance its assets and evaluate new opportunities.

This strategic alignment is particularly relevant as the world's demand for critical elements—essential for green energy and high-tech applications—continues to grow. An executive adept at navigating complex global resource markets and managing capital-intensive exploration programs could be exactly what a junior miner needs to transition from exploration to development.

Renewed Focus on the Twilite Gold Project

Deckelman steps in as Copperhead has sharpened its focus on its primary asset: the Twilite Gold Project in the Central Newfoundland Gold Belt. In a strategic move in late 2025, the company withdrew from its option on the Red Line Project in British Columbia to concentrate its capital and efforts on the Newfoundland property.

Copperhead holds an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Twilite project, which consists of 65 mineral claims. The project is situated in a region known for orogenic gold systems and shares geological characteristics with major deposits in the area, such as Equinox Gold's Valentine Lake project. Previous drilling in 2021 yielded encouraging results, with intercepts that included 11.5 meters of 1.03 g/t gold. The new leadership will be tasked with steering the next phase of exploration and determining the project's path to viability.

Investor sentiment leading up to this announcement has been notably positive. Copperhead's stock (CSE: CUH) experienced a significant rally in late 2025, rising over 200% in the past year and hitting an all-time high of CAD 0.35 in December. This momentum provides a solid foundation for the new CEO, who inherits a company with a focused portfolio and a receptive market. The immediate stock reaction to the news on January 5 was neutral, suggesting investors are taking a wait-and-see approach to how the new leadership will execute its strategy.