Standard Lithium Ltd. (“Standard Lithium” or the “Company”) (TSXV:SLI) (NYSE American:SLI) (FRA:S5L), a leading near-commercial lithium development company, has announced a leadership transition that supports the Company’s growth strategy and next steps in value creation.
Effective September 1, 2024, Robert Mintak will retire as Chief Executive Officer and remain engaged as an advisor through August 2025. David Park will assume the position of Chief Executive Officer on September 1, 2024.
Over the past year, David Park has served as a strategic advisor for Standard Lithium, collaborating closely with the senior management team. His deep understanding of the Company’s vision and strategic goals, along with his respected position within the organization, has made him a key contributor to the Company’s recent successes. Mr. Park has been involved extensively in corporate, project, and strategic developments, ensuring alignment and effective execution of initiatives, including securing Equinor ASA (“Equinor”) as a strategic partner.
Before his advisory role, Mr. Park was President of Koch Strategic Platforms (“KSP”), a division of Koch Industries that invested in Standard Lithium in 2021. He also served as Senior Vice President, Strategy and Business Development at Georgia-Pacific, LLC, a Koch Industries subsidiary, and held other significant roles at Koch, including President of TrueNorth Energy and Koch Exploration, and CFO of Koch’s Canadian exploration and production, pipeline, and energy trading business.
Mr. Park began his career at Koch in its business development group, after serving as an International Business Development Specialist at Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. Throughout his career, he has successfully completed more senior and complex roles, focused on delivering outstanding corporate growth, underscoring his ability to drive success and generate significant value for Standard Lithium.
Mr. Park’s appointment as the next CEO is the result of a thorough succession planning process by the Company’s Board of Directors, aimed at finding a candidate who could lead Standard Lithium in its next phase of growth and value creation for shareholders. This transition comes at a pivotal time, coinciding with the recent partnership with Equinor, which has significantly strengthened the Company’s position and set the stage for accelerated progress and innovation.
During his more than seven years as CEO, Robert Mintak has been instrumental in establishing Standard Lithium as a leader in the lithium sector. Under his leadership, the Company developed key strategic partnerships and secured significant investments from partners such as LANXESS, Tetra Technologies, Koch Industries, and Equinor. These collaborations have advanced the Company’s projects and positioned Standard Lithium for success.
Robert Cross, Chairman of the Board, said, “Robert was a co-founder of the Company, and his leadership and commitment have been critical in our evolution from a startup to where we are today. In addition to the strategic relationships the Company garnered during his tenure, Robert was focused on fostering strong relationships with community and state leaders, generating substantial support for our projects in Arkansas and Texas. This collaborative approach has distinguished Standard Lithium within the resource sector. The Board is grateful for Robert’s accomplishments and unwavering commitment to building a foundation for our next phase of growth.”
Reflecting on his tenure, Robert Mintak commented, “It has been an incredible journey leading Standard Lithium and working with our talented team. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished, particularly our strong partnerships and meaningful community engagement. As an active advisor, I will continue working with David, Andy, and the team to advance our projects and maintain our efforts in generating shareholder value. I am confident that David is well-equipped to take the Company forward into its next chapter of growth and value creation.”
Dr. Andy Robinson, President & COO, stated, “Robert and I started this Company together seven years ago with a shared vision for Standard Lithium. His focus on strong partnerships, deep industry relationships, and community engagement has been a cornerstone of our success. We are entering the next phase of the Company’s growth plans as we move towards commercial development, and the entire team looks forward to accelerating this momentum with David’s leadership, and we are all excited for the future opportunities that lie ahead.”
David Park added, “I’m excited to have the opportunity to help build on the solid foundations Robert and Andy have laid and work in close partnership with Equinor, Koch, Andy, and the rest of the Standard Lithium team to drive the strategic direction and execution of our low-cost, environmentally friendly, domestic lithium projects in support of the growing American energy storage and electric vehicle industries.”
