Published: March 31, 2026 |

[Click image to enlarge]

Derek Iwanaka
[Click image to enlarge]

Prince Silver has appointed Derek Iwanaka as chief executive officer. Iwanaka will be nominated for election to the company’s board of directors at its next annual general meeting, scheduled for December 16,  2025.

“We are excited to welcome Derek as our new CEO. Derek’s track record in building shareholder value, executing strategic transactions, and leading investor communications makes him a tremendous asset as we advance Prince Silver’s vision. His leadership will be critical as we position the company for its next stage of growth,” said Ralph Shearing, president and director of Prince Silver.

“I’m honored to join Prince Silver at such a pivotal time in its evolution. With such a compelling precious metals assets located in one of the world’s best mining jurisdictions, I look forward to working with the team to unlock value for shareholders and advance the company’s strategic objectives,” said Derek Iwanaka, incoming CEO of Prince Silver.

Derek Iwanaka brings more than 23 years of investor relations, corporate development, and capital markets experience in the mining industry. He has played key roles in advancing numerous public mining companies through various stages of growth, mergers, and project development. Over his career, he has contributed to more than 20 corporate transactions and has been instrumental in raising over $100 million through equity financing, including one of the first at-the-market (ATM) offerings executed by a Canadian brokerage firm.

Iwanaka most recently served as vice president, Investor Relations and Corporate Development at BeMetals Corp., a precious and base metals exploration company founded largely by former B2Gold and Bema Gold executives. At BeMetals, he was part of the leadership team for its strategic acquisitions, project advancements, and investor engagement as the company established its diversified metals portfolio.

Prior to that, he was vice president, Investor Relations at First Mining Gold, where he helped guide the company’s evolution from a mineral bank to a gold project developer in eastern Canada. During his tenure, First Mining completed seven corporate transactions, consolidating a large NI 43-101 compliant gold resource base and growing its market capitalization from approximately $32 million to over $357 million.

From 2010 to 2015, Iwanaka was cirector of Investor Relations at Uranerz Energy, a U.S.-based in-situ recovery uranium producer that completed a $228 million business combination with Energy Fuels in 2015. Earlier in his career, he managed investor relations at Brilliant Mining, a nickel producer recognized twice in the TSX Venture 50™, and began his career in 2002 with Bema Gold, a mid-tier gold producer that was later acquired by Kinross Gold for $3.1 billion.

Iwanaka holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a major in Marketing from the University of Northern British Columbia.

Prince Silver is a silver exploration company focused on advancing the Prince Silver Project in Nevada. The known deposit identified with historic drilling is open in all directions and is near surface. The company also holds an interest in the Stampede Gap Project, a district scale copper-gold-moly porphyry system located ~15km north-northwest of the Prince Silver Project.

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