Team

Brett Lynch was appointed to this position on July 1, 2019. He is a highly experienced international company director and chief executive with a strong background in mining and mining-related businesses across Australia, Asia, and North America and a proven track record in advancing shareholder value. This mining engineer and high-level manager has over 30 years of experience in the global mining industry. He has worked for major resource companies such as MIM Holdings, New Hope Corporation, Orica, and VLI, where he led multi-million-dollar international operations. Mr. Lynch holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Mining) degree from the University of Melbourne, a Graduate Diploma of Business from Monash University, as well as a Company Director Diploma from the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

With more than 30 years of experience in the mining industry, Guy Belleau is an exceptional senior executive in the mining sector. He has held strategic positions within the largest mining companies in Quebec and Canada. Throughout his career, he has been Chief Operating Officer for ArcelorMittal Mines Canada, Mine General Manager for Falco Resources Ltd., and Mine General Manager for Goldcorp Inc.’s Éléonore Mine, where he oversaw all the construction and operation processes. He also participated in the negotiation process with local Indigenous communities and the COMEX public hearings for that project. Mr. Belleau, a trained engineer, has also been Chairman of the Board of Directors for Quebec’s Institut national des mines (national mining institute) since 2018. He is passionate about contributing to the mobility of the future and is proud to see Abitibi-Témiscamingue become a driving force for this global movement.

Cindy Valence knows how to spark enthusiasm for projects like no other. She has been devoting her energy and convictions towards sustainability, societal impact, and value co-creation for Sayona since 2021. Ms. Valence takes inspiration from the best practices of mining companies around the world to build strong relationships between Sayona and its host communities. Her extensive experience in business development, expertise in energy transitions, and ability to build bridges make her an invaluable link between the company and citizens. She is excited to work alongside a passionate team and help the region’s economy prosper through a visionary project. Ms. Valence sits on the Board of Directors of Women in Mining’s Abitibi Chapter, which aims to promote women’s place in the mining industry, and of Propulsion Québec, the province’s electric and smart transportation cluster. She has an MBA with a specialization in applied management for the mining sector.

Salvatore Vitale has been leveraging his extensive strategic and operational experience in finance to define and execute Sayona’s strategy in Quebec since 2022. After graduating from McGill and Concordia University, he gained more than 25 years of experience in various strategic positions with major companies. Before joining the Sayona team, Mr. Vitale was Vice President Finance at LSSV Capital. He is also the former Chief Financial Officer of Alliance Magnesium. He has brought significant growth and profitability to all of his past employers. As Chief Financial Officer for Transforce, he oversaw more than 50 acquisitions, which led the company’s annual revenues to soar past the billion-dollar mark. During his time at Intertape Polymer Group, Mr. Vitale helped annual revenues grow from $200M to $1B through projects such as four acquisitions. He will be investing his talents to help Sayona reach its goal of becoming a world-renowned company and a leader in the energy transition for transportation. He is proud to be contributing to such an exciting challenge.

Sylvain Collard has been in charge of all of Sayona’s operations in Quebec since the fall of 2022. This includes the three projects in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, as well as the Moblan and Lac-Albert projects. Mr. Collard has an extensive experience in operations management for open-pit and underground mines. He specializes in mine project management and the continuous improvement of processes. At Sayona, he works to improve spodumene extraction and production methods. His in-depth knowledge of process optimization makes him an incredible asset for Sayona’s operations in Quebec. During his career, Mr. Collard worked on several IAMGOLD mining projects; in particular, he was at the head of a major investment project at the Essakane Mine in Burkina Faso, where he supervised 3,500 workers. He has also managed gold and copper mine projects in Quebec, Ontario, and the United States. Motivated by Sayona’s vision and effervescence, Mr. Collard devotes his energy and expertise to making the restart of the North American Lithium Complex a success, developing secondary processing of lithium in Quebec, and overseeing the construction of the Moblan project.

Thanks to more than 30 years of management experience, Manon Bérubé has become an expert in project management for various industries, including gold, aluminum, and energy. She has been responsible for the planning, design, construction, and operation of projects totalling several hundred million dollars.

Manon joined Sayona in 2023 as the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Eeyou Istchee James Bay Hub, where her expertise and leadership are critical to the development of mining operations.

Manon started her career at Quebec’s Ministry of the Environment, which has made her especially aware of the environmental impacts of the projects she manages. Her background has also given her in-depth knowledge and an impressive skillset when it comes to the environment and sustainable development approaches in project realization.

Finally, Manon is a member in good standing of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec and Professional Engineers Ontario

Carl Corriveau has nearly 20 years of experience in mineral exploration. He holds a bachelor’s degree in geology from the Université du Québec à Montréal and represents the mineral resources and geophysics sector on the Board of Directors of the Ordre des géologues du Québec. His broad experience in project management and the assessment of a range of deposits make him the perfect candidate to oversee all of Sayona’s mineral exploration activities in Quebec.

Bernard Toupin is responsible for perfecting and applying best practices in health and safety at all Sayona sites in Quebec to ensure a safe and healthy work environment for all employees. Mr. Toupin puts his knowledge to good use in the preparation, development, and implementation of an HSE management system that complies with ISO standards. His adaptability, communication skills, and mastery of HSE make him a strong leader at Sayona.

Philippe Chabot has over 20 years of experience in open-pit mining, and worked most recently as Mine Manager at Minerai de fer Quebec’s Bloom Lake Mine. He is a high-level manager with extensive technical skills for large-scale mining operations and the optimization of long-term mining plans. From 2015 to 2022, Mr. Chabot held strategic positions with IAMGOLD both in Canada and Burkina Faso, where he oversaw a 60 Mt/year mining operation in solid rock, among other things. With his expertise in open-pit mining operations, he will certainly be an asset to the restart of the North American Lithium Complex and to future development projects. Mr. Chabot is in charge of all of Sayona’s mining activities in Quebec, including the Abitibi-Témiscamingue and James Bay hubs.

Jean-Christophe Perrelet has an engineering degree in computer science and telecommunications and over 20 years of experience in IT management. He values customer service, efficiency, and results, always striving to increase productivity and optimize the return on investment of technologies. Until recently, Mr. Perrelet was a cybersecurity consultant for Novipro’s customers. This experienced IT manager understands the reality of the mining industry, having held management positions with ArcelorMittal (in Toronto and Nunavut) and Wabush Mines (in Sept-Îles). Mr. Perrelet oversees all of Sayona’s IT activities in Quebec and will be developing an operational plan to assess, structure, and choose the best strategies for the company’s development, both now and in the long term.

Michel Parent loves learning and has been passionate about the battery field for nearly 30 years.
He has a master’s degree in electrochemistry and his impressive experience—in production, R&D, sales and procurement, and customer service—has given him a thorough understanding of the entire battery industry. His thirst for knowledge has also driven him to learn more about the different regulations in the industry. Professionally, he has held several management positions in international sales and marketing departments, where he has quickly identified clients’ needs and found ways to build strong, lasting relationships of trust with them.
Michel is always able to find solutions. What’s more, he enjoys using his expertise to quickly identify needs within the company. His knowledge of the battery industry and its applications is guiding him towards smart and electric transportation, as well as stationary applications. Finally, he is aware of the major challenges of transport electrification and is eager to find ways to tackle them.

Driven by his passion for the mining industry, Kevin Lauzer has become an expert in procurement, contract management, international logistics, and distribution network configuration.
His curiosity and thirst for knowledge have allowed him to gain experience in several industries, in particular those associated with global mining exploration and related services.
With over 25 years of experience, Kevin is also a seasoned manager who has held several senior positions in areas such as global procurement, shared services, IT management, and project management. Throughout his career, he has developed a unique understanding of the West African supply chain, Canadian Arctic logistics, and multicultural settings. His interest in supply chains has also allowed him to develop his professional skills in digital transformations, ERP implementations, and technology deployments.
He sits on the boards of directors of several nonprofits, which allows him to share his knowledge and discover new learning opportunities.
Kevin also holds certifications as a Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) and Chartered Administrator (C.Adm.).

Sébastien is a strong leader, with a clear vision and an ability to influence people as he works with them towards success in the company’s projects.
Sébastien has been with Sayona since 2022, when he started as the plant’s optimization manager. Prior to that, he was the Vice President and General Manager of Niobec, one of the world’s leading niobium producers.
Sébastien is very familiar with the mining industry, and his listening skills, good communication, and team spirit make him an excellent manager. He cares deeply about his employees’ well-being and sees their health and safety as his top priority. He wants to help them reach their fullest potential, doing the same for the North American Lithium Complex by extension.
Sébastien has over 28 years of experience in the mining industry. His expertise is put to good use at the North American Lithium Complex. He is responsible for implementing Sayona’s key orientations and ensuring the Complex becomes a shining example of success in the global lithium industry.