Tom Palmer, who has served as Newmont chief executive officer since 2019, will resign from his position on December 31. Natascha Viljoen, president and chief operating officer, will succeed Palmer as president and CEO on January 1, 2026.
“After 12 years with Newmont, and almost 40 years in the mining industry, it is time for me to retire and hand over to Natascha to lead our Company through the next chapter in its storied history,” said Palmer.
“It has been a privilege to serve as CEO of Newmont. I thank our board for its guidance and partnership throughout my time in the role, our executive leadership team and all of our teams across the world for their support in shaping our business into the industry leader it is today. I am confident that Natascha and Newmont will seize the many opportunities that lie ahead for our business.”
Viljoen joined Newmont in 2023 as EVP and COO, bringing with her more than three decades of global leadership experience across multiple commodities and continents. Before joining Newmont, she served as CEO of Anglo American Platinum (now Valterra). Earlier in her career, she gained hands-on experience working with operators and maintainers in mining and processing and held leadership positions at Anglo American, BHP and Lonmin, earning a reputation for safety leadership, operational discipline, and building high-performance teams.
Palmer will serve as strategic advisor until March 31, 2026, to support a seamless leadership transition.
Source: Newmont