With 35 years of first-hand experience in deposits and districts across five continents, he’s served as president of the Society of Economic Geologists and led the exploration arm of the Canada Mining Innovation Council. He’s published numerous scientific papers, served as a gold specialist at the Geological Survey of Canada for 13 years and spent 22 years at Barrick Gold Corporation, where he became VP and Chief Geologist – Global Exploration.

With a Ph.D. in economic geology, François is also the recipient of several national and international awards for his contributions. Currently, he acts as a consultant in the minerals industry.