Under Boyd’s stewardship, Agnico Eagle grew its market cap from $400 million to over $55 billion. It also expanded its operations beyond Quebec into Nunavut, Finland, Mexico and Australia, making it a multinational corporation with 11 mines. His commitment to operational excellence, exploration, and socially responsible mining has set Agnico Eagle apart as not just a mining company but a respected partner to the communities it serves.
Born in 1958 in Ottawa, Sean earned his bachelor of commerce from the University of Toronto in 1981 and his CPA designation in 1985. His career with Agnico Eagle spans four decades, during which time he held key leadership positions that significantly shaped the company’s trajectory. From becoming chief financial officer in 1990 to serving as CEO from 1998 to 2022, and later moving to the roles of executive chair and board chair, Boyd’s vision and leadership have been instrumental in the company’s growth and success.
His success is rooted in his deep commitment to doing the right thing for employees, communities and business partners. His ability to balance business success with social responsibility has earned the company a reputation as a sought-after partner, and a respected employer where every contribution is valued.
Boyd’s dedication to mining is matched by his commitment to the communities in which Agnico Eagle operates. He ensured that mining could have a positive, lasting impact — from supporting the Inuit in Nunavut to contributing $1 million to the Historic Cobalt Legacy Fund in 2015, preserving Canada’s mining heritage. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Boyd went even further by paying 75% of salaries for employees who could not work, in addition to launching the Good Deed Brigade that empowers employees to engage in local social projects. A strong advocate for mentorship and leadership development, Boyd established the Dr. Leanne Baker Scholarship and Development Program in 2023, which supports women advancing into leadership positions in the mining industry.
His contributions have been recognized through numerous accolades, including The Northern Miner’s Mining Person of the Year in 2007 and 2017, and Harvard Business Review’s List of Best-Performing CEOs in the World in 2010, 2016 and 2017. Boyd’s legacy is one of vision, hard work, and a deep belief in the power of people.
Frank Giustra (b. 1957)
Frank Giustra is a visionary entrepreneur, financier and philanthropist whose career has left an indelible mark on the global mining industry. He was instrumental in the formation and growth of Wheaton River Minerals, orchestrating its merger with Goldcorp to create one of the largest mining companies in the world. This is just one achievement that highlights Giustra’s talent for building and developing major mining corporations.
Born in Sudbury, Ont., in 1957 to an immigrant miner father, Giustra started his career as a stockbroker at Merrill Lynch. By age 33 he had become president of Yorkton Securities, and by 36 was chair and CEO.
In 2001, he became chair of Endeavour Financial, a leading natural resource focused investment bank. Giustra demonstrated a long history of leadership and innovation, having founded Endeavour Mining and Silver Wheaton (now Wheaton Precious Metals), a streaming pioneer. The company would go on to form UrAsia Energy in 2005, which was later acquired by SXR Uranium for $3.4 billion.
Giustra served as chair of Leagold Mining from 2016 to 2019, which merged with Equinox Gold to form a significant gold-producing company operating in the Americas. Giustra’s commitment to innovation led to the creation of Nations Royalty, Canada’s largest majority Indigenous-owned public company. His other recent ventures include West Red Lake Gold Mines and Nexgold Mining.
In 1996, Giustra left the brokerage business and built Lionsgate Entertainment — one of the world’s largest independent film companies. Though no longer involved with Lionsgate, he remains in the movie business and was recently an executive producer of Blade Runner 2049.
Philanthropy is a central part of Giustra’s legacy. In 1997, he established The Giustra Foundation, which supports initiatives focused on women and children, education and refugee resettlement. He is also a founding partner of the Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative, and has been co-chair of the International Crisis Group an organization dedicated to conflict prevention, since 2020. In 2007, he co-launched Acceso, an organization that supports smallholder farmers\and fights poverty through entrepreneurial solutions in Colombia, El Salvador, Haiti and Guatemala.
Currently president and CEO of the Fiore Group, Giustra has received several honours and awards for his contributions and achievements, including the Order of Canada and the Order of British Columbia. His career in mining finance and corporate development is characterized by a series of groundbreaking achievements that have shaped the industry and made a positive global impact through both business and philanthropy.
Donald Roderick MacLean (b. 1937)
Donald Roderick MacLean’s life and career reflect an exceptional blend of engineering expertise, safety advocacy, and innovative entrepreneurship. The sole focus of MacLean’s 60-year career was to enhance the safety of underground mining worldwide.
Born in Winnipeg, Man., in 1937, MacLean spent his formative years in small mining towns in Quebec where his father Don ‘Ducky’ MacLean managed local mines. He was immersed in the industry from a young age.
Armed with a pre-engineering degree from Acadia University and a Mining Engineering degree from McGill University, MacLean gained valuable hands-on experience working underground. In 1958, a visit to mines in Europe and Scandinavia ignited his enduring interest in underground mining safety. During his career underground as a shift boss at International Nickel (Inco), near Sudbury, Ont., he witnessed the move from rail-based to mobile equipment mining.
In 1973, after a stint in equipment sales at Ingersoll Rand and managing operations for JMG Engineering, he founded MacLean Engineering. From humble beginnings in an apple orchard barn in Thornbury, Ont., MacLean Engineering has grown into a global leader in mobile equipment for underground mining, with over 1,000 employees across six countries. MacLean and his company have been responsible for the development of many innovative products, including the rubber-tire Long Tom pneumatic drill, various models of the Blockholer, the widely respected MacLean Scissor Bolter, and more recently the 100-plus MacLean EV Series of battery electrified production support mining vehicles.
Following MacLean’s passing this year, his legacy of innovation and safety continues under the leadership of his son Kevin and Kevin’s children, who now play key roles in the company. MacLean Engineering celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023, and his influence remains central to its mission and continues to guide its future.
MacLean’s impact on the industry earned him induction into the International Mining Technology Hall of Fame (2014), the SAMSSA Hall of Fame (2016), and the CIM Mining Safety Leadership Medal (2023). His vision and dedication to safety have left an enduring mark on mining worldwide.
Patricia Ann Sheahan (b. 1938)
Patricia Ann Sheahan is a pioneering geologist and distinguished industry leader. Her tireless dedication and expertise have left an indelible mark on the minerals industry. For nearly 60 years, Sheahan published her renowned monthly newsletters through Sheahan Literature Service, which became an exclusive and essential resource to the mining industry. The content started with gold and base metals and expanded to the emerging diamond industry in the 1990s.
Sheahan’s ability to distill complex information into an accessible format made the newsletters an indispensable source of geoscientific data that helped to greatly enhance the research efficiency of her clients around the world.
Sheahan was born in Ottawa in 1938. She received a bachelor of arts in geology from Carleton University in 1959. Her professional career started at Selco Exploration Corp. where she served as office geologist. By 1962, Sheahan went on to excel in a consultancy career offering her services to Selco and other industry players.
In 1978, Sheahan founded Konsult International from which she operated the Sheahan Literature Service. The newsletter she began in 1963 continued until her retirement in 2022. They were a cornerstone resource for over 400 clients globally, including major and junior miners, academics and consultants.
Sheahan’s influence extended beyond her business acumen in her volunteer work with professional associations, such as the Engineers’ Club of Ontario, Ontario Business Club, the Geological Association of Canada, Mineralogical Association of Canada, Society of Economic Geologists, and the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada. Notably, she served as chair of PDAC’s Diamond Technical Sessions for 30 years, providing a platform for cutting-edge discussions on the diamond industry.
As one of the pioneering women in the minerals industry, Sheahan broke barriers and paved the way for future generations. Her leadership roles, including serving as a director of at least seven junior mining companies and her involvement in various professional organizations, have been a source of inspiration and a model of excellence.
Sheahan’s contributions have garnered her numerous honours, including the PDAC Distinguished Service Award and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. As an honorary professor at the University of British Columbia, and a Fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists, she has inspired generations of geoscientists.
Sheahan’s influence on the industry is both profound and enduring, serving as an inspiration to those who follow in her footsteps.
