April tech talk: Meet the resource professionals

Chris Corcoran is the Test Centre Manager for TOMRA Mining in Sydney, leading technical testwork programs and supporting global sorter optimisation. He specialises in translating complex ore sorting data into practical solutions for clients and project teams.

Leonard is a UNSW Mining Engineering graduate with experience across a broad range of commodities, including iron ore, coal, gold, copper, and uranium. He has held diverse technical and leadership roles both in Australia and internationally. As a passionate emerging leader in the resources sector, Leonard is committed to developing the next generation of mining talent to address the industry’s evolving challenges.

In his current role at Newmont, Leonard is responsible for business improvement, investment reviews, and development initiatives across operations in Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Ghana, with a strong focus on safe mining and delivering superior returns from tier one assets.

Leonard is also a founding partner of Practerra Commodities, a commodities trading, consulting, and investment firm dedicated to advancing resource opportunities and markets across Australia, Asia, and the Americas

Sam Davis is a Global Talent Partner at CSG, where he works with mining companies around the world to connect them with high-performing white-collar talent. At his core, Sam is a people person, someone who thrives on building relationships and helping others find the right opportunities.

With close to a decade in the resources sector, Sam’s career has taken a few interesting turns. After studying Sports Management at Bond University, he started out in agency recruitment before moving in-house with Whitehaven Coal. He then backed himself to build his own recruitment and career advisory business, where he delivered a range of projects, including helping one organisation onboard 50 professionals across Australia in just 45 days. It’s this mix of agency, in-house, and entrepreneurial experience that shapes how he approaches his work today.

Now back in agency with CSG, Sam works on a global scale, partnering with mining businesses through periods of growth and change. He was drawn to the role by the opportunity to help build something in Australia and to work as a genuine extension of his clients’ teams, rather than just another external provider.

Outside of his day-to-day role, Sam is deeply passionate about road safety and community impact. He is a Director and inaugural board member of the Get Home Safe Foundation, an organisation focused on improving road safety outcomes across Australia. Through this work, he collaborates with industry partners to drive initiatives that help ensure people get home safely every day, a cause that remains close to his heart.

Sam is also passionate about mentoring and takes pride in helping others achieve their goals, whether that’s colleagues, candidates, or clients navigating important career decisions.

Outside of work, Sam is unapologetically sports mad. He’s a NFL super fan and a long-suffering, but eternally hopeful Adelaide Crows supporter.