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“The precious metals sector is volatile and filled with challenges,” says Pilon. “It exceeds my expectations and presents a dynamic working environment that I never would have anticipated.”
Telfer would be an interesting teacher. The 59-year-old mining executive is perhaps best known for clinching a deal that merged Wheaton River Mining Ltd. with Goldcorp for US$2.4-billion. The transaction capped a business career that began in the mid-1970s when he obtained his MBA from the University of Ottawa.
Earlier this year, Telfer and Micheál Kelly, dean of the School of Management, struck upon the idea of hiring a student from this year’s MBA class, in much the same way Donald Trump has done for his television show.
By mid-summer, Pilon had made the short list of candidates and ultimately got the nod. Among her qualifications that appealed to Telfer was a degree in communications, something that contrasted with the background in geology or engineering that candidates usually bring to a job in mining.
“That’s something our industry could use,” he told the Financial Post. “I was looking for a business person that might have some skills that could be adapted to our industry. I was essentially trying to find someone who may have never previously thought of our industry.”
Within a month of starting work in early September, Pilon was attending events such as the Denver Gold Forum, where she interacted with executives from a wide range of firms that are involved in gold mining. She points out that Goldcorp, which is unhedged and debt free, is among the lowest cost and fastest growing of those firms.
“This is a fascinating field with a bright future ahead,” she concludes, “and warrants consideration by MBA students as a career.”
The decision whether to hire Pilon as a full-fledged Goldcorp employee will be made next spring. Until then, Telfer will continue looking at resumes for next year’s apprentice opening.
This article is reprinted with the permission of the School of Management and the author.
