Barrick Gold (NYSE:GOLD) has appointed Helen Cai as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, elevating a high-profile board member to the executive suite as the mining giant navigates a period of record gold prices and shifting global alliances.
Cai, who has served as an independent director on Barrick’s board since November 2021, will officially assume the CFO role on March 1, 2026.
She succeeds Graham Shuttleworth, the veteran finance chief who joined Barrick following the landmark Randgold Resources merger in 2019.
Shuttleworth will depart the company following the filing of year-end results to ensure an orderly handover.
The appointment brings a heavyweight capital markets specialist into Barrick's day-to-day operations.
Cai’s resume includes over two decades of experience, including senior roles at Goldman Sachs and as a Managing Director at China International Capital Corporation (CICC).
Her deep expertise in M&A and her ties to Asian capital markets are viewed by analysts as a strategic asset, given China's role as the world's largest gold consumer and a key partner in several of Barrick’s cross-border ventures.
The transition comes at a pivotal time for the Toronto-based miner.
Under the leadership of Mark Bristow—who continues to drive the company’s "Tier One" asset strategy—Barrick has been increasingly focused on expanding its copper portfolio and stabilizing production across its sprawling global footprint.
Cai’s background in advanced manufacturing and "tech-enabled industry upgrades" from her CICC tenure suggests Barrick may look to further modernize its mining operations and financial reporting structures.
Cai, a CFA and CAIA charterholder with master's degrees from MIT, said she looks forward to "delivering our strategy and driving sustainable value" as the company enters its next growth phase.
Meanwhile, Shuttleworth’s departure marks the end of an era for the Randgold leadership team that significantly reshaped Barrick over the last seven years