Peter Munk, Barrick Gold Corporation founder and Chairman of the Board, speaks at the company's annual general meeting in Toronto Wednesday, April 27, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese

Peter Munk, Barrick Gold Corporation founder and Chairman of the Board, speaks at the company's annual general meeting in Toronto Wednesday, April 27, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese

Young Mining Professionals is expanding its reach across Canada with the founding of a Toronto chapter, and the Vancouver-based group has lined up a mining legend for the occasion.

YMP Toronto will kick off with a Distinguished Speaker Event on Oct. 7, 2015 featuring Peter Munk, the founder and former chairman of Barrick Gold, the world’s largest gold miner. The exclusive dinner event will allow members to connect with Mr. Munk and other resource professionals.

Toronto is a global mining hub, and the goal of the group is to deliver value to members by fostering connections that will lead to new business opportunities and educational experiences. The YMP Toronto Chapter has been founded by Stephen Stewart, President, Minerx Inc., Mike Woeller, Senior Audit Manager, KPMG, and Michael Long, Senior Tax Manager, KPMG.

 

Stephen Stewart

Stephen Stewart, President, Minerx Inc.

“I felt there was a void for networking opportunities for young executives and entrepreneurs in the mining and metals space in Toronto,” Mr. Stewart explained. “When I learned about YMP Vancouver I knew that the concept would take off here in Toronto. Shortly thereafter we made contact with the group out in Vancouver and they loved the idea of the expansion.”

He sees the group as an opportunity to meet with and engage future leaders in an industry on the cusp of a large demographic shift.

“Additionally our events will offer great opportunities to learn from leaders who’ve been in our shoes,” Mr. Stewart said. “We think Peter Munk is the perfect choice for our inaugural Distinguished Speaker Event. Most people know him as the founder of Barrick Gold, but he has such a great entrepreneurial story that is deeply rooted in this city and goes beyond any one industry.”

 

Mike Woeller, Senior Audit Manager, KPMG

Mike Woeller, Senior Audit Manager, KPMG

Stated Mr. Woeller: “The YMP organization in Vancouver has a history of providing valuable learning, development and networking opportunities to its membership, and we look forward to leveraging their model to generate the same benefits for our members in Toronto. We expect that our inaugural Distinguished Speaker Event with Mr. Munk will be a fantastic launch for YMP Toronto, and we are excited to build on this momentum as we plan additional events during the coming year.”

Michael Long, Senior Tax Manager, KPMG

Michael Long, Senior Tax Manager, KPMG

Mr. Long said the distinguished speaker series "will tap into the prominent pool of deep mining expertise based in Toronto.

"In addition to learning from the experiences and successes of industry leaders, I look forward to networking with professionals at a similar stage of their career. By being involved in this organization, as well as attending as a participant, YMP will provide an opportunity for mining professionals to meet the growth and development goals we need to accelerate our careers.”

This exclusive 30-person event hosted at Hy’s Steakhouse in downtown Toronto will include a keynote address by Mr. Munk as well as a fine steak dinner and wine. If you are interested in attending, join YMP Toronto's LinkedIn group to become a member and receive an invitation to the event. It promises to be a unique and intimate affair with one of Canada's most prominent mining executives!