ASX-listed Syrah Resources has moved to strengthen its leadership bench, appointing seasoned Director Samantha Hogg as independent Non-Executive Director and Chair-Elect as the company positions itself for its next stage of growth in the global battery materials market. Her appointment completes a succession process initiated in May and will see her succeed long-standing Chair Jim Askew when he steps down on 31 December 2025.
Hogg brings extensive governance experience across Australia’s transport, energy, infrastructure and resources sectors, currently serving on the boards of Cleanaway Waste Management, GrainCorp and IGO. She has previously held roles with Adbri, De Grey Mining, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, Hydro Tasmania, Infrastructure Australia and TasRail and has chaired both Marinus Link and Tasmanian Irrigation. Her executive background includes senior leadership positions at Transurban Group and WMC Resources, culminating in her role as Transurban CFO.
Hogg said her appointment comes at a crucial moment in Syrah’s evolution. “I am pleased to be joining Syrah at this stage in its journey to becoming the leading natural graphite and active anode material producer outside China. I look forward to working with the board and executive team as the company executes its growth strategy,” noted Hogg. She also paid tribute to Askew’s decade of leadership, thanking him for his stewardship and guidance.
Askew, who has chaired Syrah since 2014, described the opportunity to lead the board through the development of the Balama graphite mine in Mozambique and the Vidalia active anode material facility in Louisiana as “an honour and a privilege”. He said, “The extraordinary market and geopolitical developments of the past decade have created a unique long-term opportunity for these assets and the Syrah team.”
He added that Hogg’s appointment positions the company well for its next phase. “We are very pleased to have a Chair-Elect of Samantha’s calibre. I have every confidence she will guide the board and management team effectively,” stated Askew. Syrah is seeking to consolidate its position as a pivotal supplier of natural graphite and anode materials into Western battery supply chains at a time of tightening geopolitical competition and growing EV sector demand.
