About

Yamana Gold, is a Canadian-based gold producer with significant gold and copper production, exploration properties, and land positions in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico and Colombia. Maria da Graça Montalvão is the legal director for the Brazilian portion of the company, overseeing the operation of six mines. Since joining the company in 2006, Montalvão has taken on considerable responsibility and covered major work in M&A projects, health and safety legislation and adherence to environment regulation; she has also worked to incorporate all elements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, to ensure full financial compliance. Montalvão’s commercial and legal advice has been crucial in 2016, when Yamana Gold announced that it is creating a new subsidiary that will group its “less favoured” mines together. According to a statement, the new company, Brio Gold Inc., will initially be a fully owned subsidiary. Montalvão had important input into this corporate restructure, advising business counterparts of possible approaches to achieve their goals. Indeed, Montalvão is well-respected as leading voice in the mining industry, having previously had experience as an in-house lawyer at Fosfertil Ultrafertil and Vale.