James K. Gowans

BASc'74

A Professional Engineer, corporate director and UBC alumnus, Jim is currently serving as Interim CEO for Trilogy Metals Inc. He has over 40 years of international experience in mineral exploration, mine feasibility studies, mine construction and commissioning, as well as the development of best practices in mine safety, operations and economic performance improvement. 

After earning a BASc in Mineral Engineering from UBC in 1974, Jim embarked on a varied career that included successfully running multiple large mining companies and building six new mines around the world. A consistent advocate for the development of people in the mining industry, Jim has held senior roles at Barrick Gold Corporation, De Beers and Debswana Diamond Company in Botswana. From 2016 to 2018, Jim was CEO and President of Arizona Mining Inc. 

Offering extensive mining knowledge and valuable perspective on the importance of corporate social responsibility, Jim has been a committed supporter of the Mining Department at UBC for well over a decade. He is currently Chair of the Industry Advisory Council, having previously served as Chair of the Mining Association of Canada and President of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum.