Management Team

Matt Badylak was appointed to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer on 14 June 2021. Prior to this, Matt was EVP and Chief Operating Officer at Galiano where he took the lead in building the Company’s senior executive technical team. Matt is a mining professional with 20 years of extensive experience in senior management and operational planning covering Australia, Mongolia, China, Canada, Turkey and Ghana.

Prior to joining Galiano in 2020, Matt held the position of General Manager Kisladag with Eldorado Gold, a mid-tier gold producer with operations in Turkey, Canada, China and Greece. During his time with Eldorado he also held senior management roles including; Managing Director -China Operations, General Manager Tanjianshan and Director of Operational Support. Throughout his career, Matt has built strong, result orientated teams and executed on multiple cost saving and operational efficiency programs which have yielded significant shareholder returns. Earlier in his career he held several technical roles across Australia and Asia.

Matt holds a Bachelor of Science in Extractive Metallurgy and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Murdoch University in Perth and is a member of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.

Matt Freeman has been with Galiano since 2020. As the EVP and CFO he is responsible for overseeing Galiano’s financial strategy, planning and analysis, accounting and financial reporting, as well as its tax and treasury functions.

With his extensive financial experience coupled with deep knowledge of the mining sector, Matt has a successful track record in senior roles; as CFO of Energold Drilling he navigated through a successful corporate restructuring, and prior to that, held senior financial positions at SSR Mining, where he played a key financial role in its growth to becoming a mid-tier gold producer, leading initiatives on financial reporting, risk management, treasury management, as well as M&A activities.

Todd joined Galiano Gold in 2020, assuming the role of EVP for Sustainability & Communications. He brings over 20 years of experience in the sustainability and public relations space in the private sector, public governments, and aboriginal organizations. Prior to joining Galiano Gold, he worked as the Chief Sustainability Officer for Danakali Limited, an Australian junior potash mining company in Eritrea, and as VP for CSR and Government Relations at Nevsun Resources, a Canadian mid-tier mining with operations in Eritrea and development projects in Serbia and North Macedonia. His previous roles include senior management positions at Enbridge Pipelines, Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, and the Government of Nunavut. Todd holds designations with the Canadian Institute of Planners, and the International Right of Way Association and has Master’s degrees in International Relations, Leadership, and Bachelor of Science degrees in Environmental Planning and Environmental Studies.

Markus joined Galiano Gold in 2019 and is responsible for integration, corporate development and growth. During his 20+ year career, he has held corporate development roles at Alio Gold and Teck Resources, as well as, senior positions in Investment Banking at Canaccord Genuity and HSBC, focusing on M&A and financings in the mining sector.

Markus holds a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and has an MBA and a Bachelor of Applied Science, Mining and Mineral Process Engineering.

Richard joined Galiano Gold in 2021 and is responsible for overseeing Galiano’s technical services.  Richard holds a Bachelor of Applied Science, Mining and Mineral Process Engineering from the University of British Columbia and is a registered Professional Engineer in British Columbia.  During his 35-year career he has had wide-ranging experience in the mining sector that encompassed progressive technical and operational roles, including over a decade in various parts of Africa.  Richard came to Galiano after 17 years with Eldorado Gold where he was most recently the corporate Director, Mining for open pit and prior to that he was the General Manager of the Kisladag gold mine.

Chris has more than twenty years of industry experience including fifteen in mineral exploration working for both junior and major companies. He has a track record of success exploring for a wide range of commodities across multiple continents in Greenfields, Brownfields, and in-mine environments.

He most recently spent over ten years working for Rio Tinto Exploration in a series of progressively more senior positions including Country Manager roles in Mongolia, China and Canada. Chris has proven success building and leading high performance technical and operational teams across multiple jurisdictions and cultures.

Chris holds a Bachelors of Science (Honours) in Geology, a Bachelors of Arts in Economics and a Professional Geoscientist (PGeo) designation registered in British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

Eric is an expert in the field of resource geology and geostatistics with 30 years of technical services experiences in exploration, consulting, project study and development and mining operations. Eric has worked for junior, intermediate and major mining companies, including his most recent 11 years as Manager of Mineral Resources with Goldcorp / Newmont Goldcorp. In his role at Goldcorp, Eric’s primary responsibility was to provide guidance and expertise to operating mines and projects in support of operation, mineral resource management and business planning. Eric has also led many resource modelling and geostatistical studies for companies as a QP and has led the due diligence of geology and resource evaluation of numerous M&A projects. In addition to his extensive experience, Eric holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology and Geostatistics.

Krista Muhr brings 20 years of experience working with public companies in the global metals and mining sector. Krista has been an advisor to both corporate and trade association boards during her 10 years in executive roles, most recently as Senior Vice President, External Affairs and Sustainability for Eldorado Gold. She has led award winning investor relations programs and has been a key team leader in friendly and hostile acquisitions totaling $7B with Andean Resources and Meridian Gold.

Krista is currently a member of the Moneta Gold Inc. Board of Directors and the Ensign Minerals Inc. Board of Directors. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Ryerson University and a Corporate Directors International designation.