Obituary: Barrick’s Greg Wilkins dies at 53

Former Barrick Gold president and CEO Greg Wilkins, known for his entrepreneurial talent and sharp mind, passed away on Dec. 16 after a battle with cancer. He was 53.

Wilkins first joined Barrick in 1981, before the company had gotten involved in the gold business. He played a lead role in Barrick’s rise to the top in the gold mining world — now with a market cap of $41.5 billion and 26 operating mines around the world.

“This is the loss of a dear friend who played a vital role in Barrick’s growth,” said Barrick founder and chairman Peter Munk in a statement. “He worked alongside me building Barrick for almost thirty years. He literally personified the values that guide our decisions at Barrick day by day. He was a leader who listened. He possessed an entrepreneurial spirit and an analytical mind. He produced results from considered decisions. Greg inspired confidence and respect in me, in our shareholders, in his colleagues, in everyone who met him.”

It was alongside Munk that Wilkins orchestrated the acquisition of longtime Barrick rival Placer Dome in 2005. The US$10.4- billion deal was the largest hostile takeover attempt in gold mining history. The price of gold, which was less than US$600 per oz. at the time, has doubled since then.

Wilkins, born in Montreal, earned a bachelor of commerce from Concordia University and was a chartered accountant. He held a succession of senior roles at Barrick, including chief financial officer in the early 1990s. He left the company for a few years but returned in 2003 to take on the CEO post. He stepped down from that role in March 2008 due to his illness but remained an executive vice-chairman.

Wilkins is survived by his wife Vera, and children Mark and Lauren.

Barrick said it planned to close its head office in Toronto in tribute to Wilkins the day of his memorial service.