Soma Gold's Leadership Overhaul Signals Aggressive Colombian Growth Plan

VANCOUVER, BC – June 16, 2026 – In the world of junior gold mining, press releases announcing management changes are routine. But Soma Gold Corp.'s recent announcement is anything but. The company has not just appointed a new Chief Financial Officer; it has simultaneously unveiled a comprehensive overhaul of its entire Colombian operations team. This isn't a simple personnel shuffle; it's a meticulously crafted strategic maneuver, signaling that Soma is arming itself with the human capital necessary to execute a significant growth phase.

The headline appointment is Wylie Hui as the new CFO, a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience in the mining sector's financial trenches. Alongside him, six new key managers are stepping into critical roles at the company’s Colombian subsidiary, Operadora Minera S.A., spanning processing, exploration, sustainability, social engagement, finance, and administration.

Geoff Hampson, President and CEO of Soma Gold, framed the moves as a deliberate fortification. "We are very pleased to welcome Wylie to the Soma team," he commented. "His experience... make[s] him an excellent fit as we continue to strengthen our senior and operational management team to support our growth strategy." Hampson's reference to a coming "series of major events" in the next 18 months hints that these hires are the prelude to a period of intense activity and expansion.

Fortifying the Foundation for Expansion

The appointment of a financial heavyweight like Wylie Hui, who has held CFO positions at multiple publicly listed resource companies, is a clear sign of maturation. As Soma transitions from a relatively small producer to a more significant player, the complexities of financial reporting, capital markets, and governance multiply. Hui's background at firms like Ernst & Young and BDO, combined with his operational CFO experience, provides the robust financial stewardship required to navigate this growth.

This high-level financial expertise is being matched on the ground. The six new appointments in Colombia are not generalists; they are specialists hired to solve specific operational challenges and unlock new potential. The new team includes a Director of Processing Plant, a Director of Exploration, and managers for critical functions like finance and administration. These roles directly map to Soma's ambitious operational playbook for the next 18 months.

That playbook includes a multi-pronged strategy to significantly increase production. Key initiatives include the commissioning of advanced sensor-based sorting equipment at its El Bagre Mill in the third quarter of 2026, a technological upgrade expected to boost throughput from 450 tonnes per day (tpd) to nearly 700 tpd. Simultaneously, the company is ramping up production from a portfolio of newly acquired or developed mines. The Aurora mine is expected to begin production shortly, the recently acquired Escondida mine resumed operations this month, and the formalized Diamantina mine is set to commence underground production in the coming quarter. This flurry of activity, all feeding into the company's two mills, requires an immense degree of coordinated operational and geological expertise—exactly the kind of depth the new team brings.

A New Blueprint for Sustainable Mining

Perhaps the most forward-looking aspect of Soma's team build-out is its explicit focus on sustainability and social license. The creation of dedicated roles for a Manager of Sustainability and a Director of Social Engagement goes far beyond corporate window-dressing. In Colombia's complex mining landscape, these are frontline, value-creating positions.

Soma has already established strong ESG credentials, becoming the first mining company in Colombia to achieve carbon neutrality certification for its operations, a feat it has now accomplished for two consecutive years. This was achieved through a combination of using 100% renewable hydroelectric power and investing in verified conservation projects. The new hires signal an intent to deepen this commitment.

The new Manager of Sustainability, Santiago José Correa Ocampo, brings extensive experience with international standards like the IFC Performance Standards and the TSM (Towards Sustainable Mining) program. Crucially, his mandate includes overseeing the formalization of small-scale artisanal miners—a core component of Soma's strategy. By bringing these informal operations into the legal framework, Soma not only secures additional ore for its mills but also improves safety, environmental practices, and economic stability in the region. The successful formalization of the Diamantina mine, which began supplying ore in March, is a tangible proof of concept. The new leadership is tasked with replicating and scaling this model.

By embedding sustainability and social engagement specialists directly into its operational leadership, Soma is building a more resilient business model. This approach de-risks its operations from potential community conflicts, ensures compliance with increasingly stringent global standards, and strengthens its social license to operate—a critical asset for any resource company today.

Winning the War for Talent

Soma's ability to attract this breadth of talent speaks to a wider trend. The global mining industry is facing an unprecedented skills shortage, with a recent McKinsey report indicating that over 70% of mining leaders see talent scarcity as a direct threat to achieving production targets. In this environment, a company's ability to recruit and retain experienced professionals is a powerful competitive advantage.

For executives like Wylie Hui and the new Colombian leaders, joining a junior miner like Soma offers an opportunity for direct impact that is often diluted in larger, more bureaucratic organizations. The company presents a clear, ambitious growth story backed by a profitable operational base and a portfolio of near-term development projects. This combination of stability and high-growth potential is a potent lure for top-tier talent.

By investing heavily in human capital—from the C-suite to the mine site—Soma Gold is making a clear statement about its ambitions. The company is not just digging for gold; it is building an organization capable of sustained, responsible growth. These personnel changes are the foundational work required to support the physical expansion of mills and mines. With this enhanced team in place, the focus now shifts squarely to execution, as the clock starts ticking on the pivotal 18 months that will define Soma's future trajectory.