Li-FT Power Adds Ex-Newmont, Rio Tinto Exec to Lead Project Development

Li-FT Power Ltd. named two senior executives to lead its shift from exploration into development, the company said Monday.

Jeff Reinson took over as chief operating officer, effective immediately. He joined LIFT in February as senior vice president of development. Before that he ran operations at Burgundy Diamond Mines' Ekati mine and served as COO at First Mining Gold Corp., where he oversaw the Springpole Gold Project through its federal environmental assessment.

Reinson spent more than a decade at Rio Tinto, Goldcorp and Newmont. At Rio Tinto's Diavik Diamond Mine, he led the transition from a single open pit to multiple open pit and underground operations. At Goldcorp's Peñasquito mine in Mexico – later acquired by Newmont – he helped turn it into the world's fifth-largest silver mine. He holds a master's degree in civil engineering from the University of Saskatchewan.

Reinson will relocate to Montréal later this year to establish LIFT's operational hub there, close to its hard-rock lithium projects in the James Bay region.

"I am truly energized as I step into the role of COO," Reinson said in the release. "Securing critical minerals is increasingly vital as the global electrification movement accelerates."

April Hayward moved from chief sustainability officer to executive vice president of external affairs and strategic partnerships. She will lead partnership initiatives, including commercial deals, Indigenous and government relations, and non-dilutive funding opportunities. Her background includes roles as chief sustainability officer at Mountain Province Diamonds and superintendent of environment at Dominion Diamond Mines. She holds a Ph.D. in ecology from McMaster and an MBA in finance from the University of Calgary's Haskayne School of Business.

"The next stage of value creation is about securing the strategic partnerships, commercial relationships, and innovative capital pathways," Hayward said.

CEO Francis MacDonald said the appointments reflect LIFT's evolution from explorer to developer. "Reinson's proven track record across project development, engineering, and operations makes him the right person to lead our operational team," he said. "Hayward has played an instrumental role in advancing LIFT from exploration to development."

The company also granted 75,000 incentive stock options and 10,000 restricted share units to a named officer under its Omnibus Share Incentive Plan. The options are exercisable at C$3.36 per share, vest over two years in quarterly tranches, and expire in five years. The RSUs vest annually over three years and settle in common shares at the same deemed price.

LIFT holds the Adina-Galinée lithium project in Québec's James Bay region and the Yellowknife lithium project in the Northwest Territories, plus early-stage exploration properties in both jurisdictions.

Reinson's experience at Newmont and Rio Tinto gives LIFT an executive who has overseen large-scale operations at two of the world's biggest mining houses. The company trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol LIFT, on the ASX as LFT, on the OTCQX as LIFFF, and on the Frankfurt exchange as WS0.