Board of Directors

Dr. Thomas Kaplan is NOVAGOLD’s Chairman of the Board and is also Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Electrum Group, a privately held global natural resources investment management company that manages the portfolio of Electrum, the single largest shareholder of NOVAGOLD. Dr. Kaplan is an entrepreneur and investor with a track record of both creating and unlocking shareholder value in public and private companies. Dr. Kaplan served as Chairman of Leor Exploration & Production LLC, a natural gas exploration and development company founded by Dr. Kaplan in 2003. In 2007, Leor’s natural gas assets were sold to EnCana Oil & Gas USA Inc., a subsidiary of Encana Corporation, for $2.55 billion. Dr. Kaplan holds Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral Degrees in History from Oxford University.

Dr. Elaine Dorward-King has spent most of her career in mining, most recently as an Executive Vice President of Newmont Corporation (“Newmont”). From March 2013 until June 2019, she served as Newmont’s Executive Vice President of Sustainability and External Relations, and from June 2019 until January 2020 she served as Newmont’s Executive Vice President of Environmental, Social and Governance Strategy. Prior to joining Newmont, Dr. Dorward-King spent 20 years with Rio Tinto, one of the world’s largest diversified producers of metals and minerals, in general management and Environmental Health and Safety leadership roles. Dr. Dorward-King has more than 30 years of leadership experience in creating and implementing sustainable development, safety, health and environmental strategy, and programs in mining, chemical, and engineering consulting sectors. Currently Dr. Dorward-King serves on the Board of Directors of Sibanye-Stillwater, Kenmare Resources plc, and Nevada Copper. Dr. Dorward-King holds a bachelor’s degree from Maryville College and received a PhD in Analytical Chemistry from Colorado State University.

Dr. Diane Garrett has more than 20 years of experience in the resource sector and currently serves as the President and CEO of Hycroft Mining Holding Corporation, owner operator of the gold-silver Hycroft Mine in Northern Nevada. She was formerly President and CEO of Nickel Creek Platinum Corp. (“NCP”), a mining exploration and development company, from 2016-September 2020. Prior to joining NCP, she held the position of President and CEO of Romarco Minerals Inc., taking the multi-million-ounce Haile Gold Mine project from discovery to construction. Prior to that, she held numerous senior positions in public mining companies including VP of Corporate Development at Dayton Mining Corporation and VP of Corporate Development at Beartooth Platinum Corporation. Early in her career, Dr. Garrett was the Senior Mining Analyst and Portfolio Manager in the precious metals sector with US Global Investors. Dr. Garrett received her Ph.D. in Engineering and her Masters in Mineral Economics from the University of Texas at Austin.

Mr. Hume Kyle is a CPA, CA, CFA, with over 35 years of private sector and public accounting experience, including over 25 years working with mining, energy and other natural resources companies in senior management and board roles. Mr. Kyle recently retired from his role as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Dundee Precious Metals Inc., a multi-national gold mining company, where he served from 2011 to 2022. Prior to that Mr. Kyle was Vice President, Treasurer and Controller of TransAlta Corporation, a multi-national power generation and wholesale marketing company, from 2009 to 2011, and Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Fort Chicago Energy Partners L.P., a pipeline, natural gas liquids processing, and power company, from 2003 to 2009. Mr. Kyle also held increasingly senior finance and accounting roles at Nexfor Inc., Noranda Inc., Deloitte & Touche, and Price Waterhouse & Co. Additionally, Mr. Kyle served on the boards of Stornoway Diamond Corporation (2014 to 2019), Alliance Pipeline (2004 to 2009), Aux Sable (2004 to 2009), and the Canadian Association of Income Funds (2005 to 2009), serving on several committees, including the Audit Committee, as Chair. Mr. Kyle holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Accounting from the University of Western Ontario, a Graduate Diploma in Public Accounting from McGill University, a CA designation from the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, a CFA designation from the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts, and a ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Mr. Greg Lang is NOVAGOLD’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Lang has over 35 years of diverse experience in mine operations, project development and evaluation, including time as President of Barrick Gold North America, a wholly owned subsidiary of Barrick Gold Corporation (“Barrick”). Mr. Lang held progressively responsible operating and project development positions over his 10-year tenure with Barrick and, prior to that, with Homestake Mining Company and International Corona Corporation, both of which are now part of Barrick. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla and is a Graduate of the Stanford University Executive Program.

Mr. Kalidas Madhavpeddi has 40 years of international experience in corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions, government relations, marketing, mining engineering and capital. He is currently the President of Azteca Consulting LLC, an advisory firm to the metals and mining sector. From 2010 to 2018 he was CEO of China Molybdenum International, a privately held company and global producer of copper, gold, cobalt, phosphates, niobium and molybdenum. His extensive career in the mining industry includes over 25 years at Freeport-McMoRan, a Fortune 500 company, starting as a Systems Engineer and ultimately becoming Senior Vice President for Phelps Dodge, and contemporaneously the President of Phelps Dodge Wire & Cable. Mr. Madhavpeddi currently serves as a director of Dundee Precious Metals Inc and is chairman of Glencore plc. He is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India; the University of Iowa and the Harvard Business School.

Mr. Kevin McArthur is an industry leader with over 40 years of experience encompassing many facets of the mining business, including operations, corporate development and executive management. He currently serves as a non-executive director of Royal Gold, Inc. and First Quantum Minerals Ltd. Mr. McArthur served as CEO of major precious metals mining companies, including Goldcorp Inc., Glamis Gold Ltd. and Tahoe Resources Inc., which was subsequently acquired by Pan American Silver Corporation. His earlier career focused on mine operations and project development with major international mining companies, including, BP Minerals and Homestake Mining Company. Mr. McArthur obtained a degree in Mining Engineering from the University of Nevada in 1979.

Mr. Daniel Muñiz Quintanilla has more than 25 years of experience in international law, capital markets, and finance in the mining, logistics and infrastructure industries. He currently is a member of the board of directors of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners LP, Hudbay Minerals Inc., and Gatos Silver Inc. He is also a Founding Partner of Whetstone Resources, Inc. Mr. Muñiz served as the Managing Director (CEO) and Executive Vice Chair of Americas Mining, the holding company of the mining division of Grupo Mexico from 2014 to 2018, as Managing Director (CEO) of Industrial Minera Mexico, the underground mining division of Grupo Mexico from 2010 to 2014, and as Chief Financial Officer of Grupo Mexico from 2007 to 2014. He holds a law degree from Universidad Iberoamericana, in Mexico City, a master’s degree in law from Georgetown University, and a master’s degree in business administration from Instituto de Empresa, in Spain.

Mr. Ethan Schutt is the Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Bristol Bay Native Corporation and a Board Trustee of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation. Before joining Bristol Bay Native Corporation, Mr. Schutt served as CEO of Alaska Native Resource Development, LLC, an Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) company. Prior to his CEO position, Mr. Schutt served as ANTHC’s Chief of Staff. ANTHC provides health services for Alaska Native people. Prior to joining ANTHC, Mr. Schutt first served as General Counsel, and later became the Senior Vice President of Land and Energy Development, for Cook Inlet Region Inc. (CIRI). CIRI is an Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) corporation dedicated to the economic and social well-being of its Alaska Native shareholders with resources generated from its lands and businesses. As CIRI’s Senior Vice President of Land and Energy Development, he led a team of professionals that managed CIRI’s ANCSA lands including the exploration and leasing of those lands for oil and gas, mineral and other natural resource development. He also directed CIRI’s efforts in developing renewable and alternative energy projects. Mr. Schutt previously served as a member of the board of Doyon, Limited and served as General Counsel for Tanana Chiefs Conference. Mr. Schutt is an expert on ANCSA lands and resources and currently teaches a class on the topic at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Mr. Schutt holds a Bachelor of Science degree with honors in mathematics from Washington State University and a Juris Doctor degree from Stanford Law School.

Ms. Dawn Whittaker has more than 30 years of experience as a lawyer working in capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and corporate governance. She currently serves as the Independent Board Chair of Triple Flag Precious Metals Corp. and previously served on the Boards of Sierra Metals Inc. (2022-2023), Detour Gold (2018-2020) and Kirkland Lake Gold (2012- 2016). Ms. Whittaker is currently Vice President of the Board of Directors of The Badminton and Racquet Club of Toronto and a former member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario Division. Prior to her retirement in 2018, she was a senior partner at Norton Rose Fulbright, a global law firm, where she was the national leader of the firm’s Mining and Commodities Team in Canada from 2012 to 2015 and a member of the firm’s Canadian partnership Committee from 2014 to 2017. Ms. Whittaker also previously served on the Continuous Disclosure Advisory Committee of the Ontario Securities Commission. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from Queen’s University.