
Brendan Harris
CEO: Sandfire Resources
‘The Sandfire Way is the embodiment of our belief that a robust internal system of risk management and control creates a safer environment for our people’
LAST year saw Perth-based Sandfire Resources further cement its place as the Australian Securities Exchange’s largest pure-play copper producer. Despite a volatile copper price, the company’s share price hit a new record and it was admitted to the S&P/ASX 100 index. Harris said Sandfire’s aim was to be “predictably boring”, a strategy that is so far paying off as the company has delivered production and operational results. Copper equivalent production for the 12 months to June 30, 2024, was 133,500 tons, up 47% year-on-year.
Sandfire chairperson John Richards told the company’s November annual general meeting that “the board could not be happier with Brendan and the team’s performance”. Group guidance for 2025 is for another uptick in production to 154,000 of copper equivalent tons. While unlocking the full potential of MATSA in Spain and ramping up Motheo, Harris has been working hard to implement the company’s operating model, The Sandfire Way, which aims to empower the workforce and define clear lines of accountability. Harris has also become known as an advocate for gender diversity in the mining industry. Under his leadership, female representation in senior roles has risen to 31.9%, and 51% of employees at Sandfire’s head office are women.
In November, these efforts were rewarded when Harris was named as one of three nominees for the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia’s 2025 Champion of Women in Resources Awards.
LIFE OF BRENDAN
After studying geology and geophysics, Harris initially worked as an exploration geologist, looking for iron ore in Western Australia’s Pilbara region and gold and base metals in South Australia’s Gawler Craton. Harris led Macquarie’s metals and mining research team before becoming BHP’s global head of investor relations. When BHP demerged South32 in 2015, Harris became part of the company’s inaugural lead team as CFO. He held other roles at the miner including chief human resources and commercial officer before joining Sandfire in April 2023.