WA School of Mines Alumni President’s Update

2024 Autumn Update

The realities of fatherhood have well and truly kicked in. The most challenging, rewarding and incredible thing I have ever done. So I want to start with a special shout out to everyone who is a parent, carer or guardian.

I may not have recognised the mountains you had to move everyday before having a child of my own. But I do now. I see you.

MACRO Update

As an equity analyst, my job is figure out what is going up and down in the stock-market; get on the phone and try and convince Superfund Managers that my idea is worth listening to and acting on.

I’ve have the unique perspective in my job of seeing how truly world class WA School of Mines Alumni are in their respective leadership roles across the resources sector, and the high-regard the four-letters WASM carry across all facets of the industry.

But with all that said and done, and with all the conversations I have, not even the biggest, best resourced strategic minds in the country know what is around the corner.

Are interest rates going up? Are house prices coming down? Is lithium going back up? What is going on with nickel? This has been one of the wildest six-months the resources sector has seen in modern times.

Where am I going with this?

Volatility is creating uncertainty and sometimes fear amongst members (particularly our younger professionals). So I would urge you all to keep checking in with those who may be affected, and reminding fellow members that WASM graduates look after each other.

WASMA Update

Despite this uncertainty, your WASMA Council members are staying true to the strategic plan we developed in September 2023 with the pro-bono help of Maurice Argento from Deloitte.

Much like a well-planned mine, our strategy was designed with the cycles in mind, with only the high-grade, high-quality and FUN events and programs retained.

Our Strategic Plan was is built on our Core values of Excellence, Pride, Inclusiveness an Collaboration (E.P.I.C).

This one pager outlines the four core focus areas your elected Council are trying to achieve over the next three years.

1. Support Alumni: Doubling our membership by FY27 and creating an emerging leaders subcommittee.
2. Financial Independence: Establish a $2.5m fund before FY27 end which is generating interest of $100k p.a. to cover costs in perpetuity.
3. Promote WASM & WASMA: Engage a dedicated marketing team (done) and increase our social media following from 5k to 10k in FY27.
4. Influence Educational Experiences: Reintroduce geology into WASM (now in Spatial Sciences), build a vacation work page on WASMA website and create an industry advisory group for WASMA.

We are tackling these on a ‘low hanging fruit’ first basis – and making good progress. In my next update, I will have a score-card which members can track our progress with each of these objectives.

In the last 2 months, we have restarted quarterly MineChat’s in Perth, we have held the Perth Graduation Sundowner and thanks to Kalgoorlie Chair, Ron Ellis and the amazing team in Kalgoorlie, our very first Kalgoorlie Sundowner was held after five years absence.

Additionally, with the help of Rohan Bose as the our Marketing Committee Chair, we have engaged the services of Perth marketing firm TEAM Agency. This is the first time we have invested in a dedicated resource to do this work.

The website is being rebuilt and our social media presence across all channels is about to lift in aesthetics and reach – there has never been a better time to sponsor.

The engagement of a dedicated marketing agency is well-timed as we step into busy six month period, which will see us execute 12 events between Perth and Kalgoorlie. Events designed by people like you, for people like you.

Resources Leadership Summit

There is one event in particular I want to bring your attention to. This event has the power to change our industry. We’re calling it the ‘Resources Leadership Summit’.

Here is the sales pitch…

As a graduate, you find yourself surrounded by many people determined to see you fly when you come out of the WASM nest. A few years out, you soon find yourself in a leadership role, without a lot of leadership training;
cue Engineer/Geologist/Metallurgist/Survey jokes here.

To this end, our Mentoring Programs (General Mentoring and Executive Mentoring) support the ongoing development of members, alongside our regular networking events. But beyond this, we noted that a lot of members were not getting much in the form of professional leadership training – despite the inevitable leadership position most end up in.

Your WASMA Council is curating a line-up of speakers that are going to bring immediate, positive and sustained impact across your business, and our sector.

If you are interested, HELP US LAUNCH, by sponsoring or getting a table.

We hope that in time, this event, like our Diggers & Dealers Sundowner and WASMA Gala Ball will become calendar highlights for the resource sector.

Curtin WASM:MECE Update

We celebrate WASM:MECE Head of School, Mark Buntine being bestowed Curtin’s highest honor, the John Curtin Distinguished Professor title. Congratulations Mark on this incredible achievement.

Between Mark and Kalgoorlie Campus Director, Tanya Chambers, we’re already starting to see the School flourish. Mark spent a whole month in Kalgoorlie, getting to know the students, staff and all important locals.

I have incredible hope for what Tanya and Mark are going to achieve, and their recognition that WASM Kalgoorlie is a permanent and important part of Curtin. We also have people like Niklas Mittmann and John Fitzgerald to thank. If you have not met them, they are part of Curtin’s Advancement team and support us in the fundraising for Scholarships and Endowments. All of which are vitally important to support the high cost of living associated with moving to Kalgoorlie.

Closing remarks

This year Council is taking a leap of faith to go where we have not been before. With the right people, in the right places, we hope we can deliver on what we said we would.

I also want to bring your attention to someone who does the heavy lifting, and that is WASMA Executive Officer Johanna Gastevich. Thank you Johanna. You are taking our organisation where we have never been before.

Circling back to what I said earlier, and one message I want to make very clear to all our members in all of this. Your Alumni is here for you, as we have been for each other for 120 years.

Please reach out to have a chat if you don’t have anyone else to speak to, you don’t know who to go to, or you just need someone to sit with in silence and be. My number is 0408 760 695, and you can call it anytime. I will always return a missed call.

See you at the next event!

Regards, Kyle

Kyle De Souza
President
WA School of Mines Alumni

PS. Don’t forget applications close for our 2024 WASMA Mentoring Program 5pm on Thursday 18 April 2024. Be part of our 2024 Program as a Mentor and/or Mentee – Apply Now