RME appoints Simon Thompson as new Chief Engineer

Mill relining systems manufacturer Russell Mineral Equipment (RME) appointed Simon Thompson to the role of Chief Engineer, the company announced on Sunday.

Thompson, who will officially commence in the role on 26 March, brings more than a decade of experience in the mining machinery original equipment manufacturer sector. He joined RME in 2018 as Global Engineering Manager before being promoted to General Manager, Engineering.

In its 40-year history, RME has had only two Chief Engineers – Dr Peter Rubie who held the position for more than two decades, and RME Founder and Executive Chairman Dr John Russell, who held the position most recently.

“Since 1985, RME has innovated mill relining technologies and services in the pursuit of removing fatal risk and improving our customers’ productivity,” Russell said. “Extraordinary engineering is core to that legacy and will be perpetuated by Simon as part of RME’s entrepreneurial leadership team.”

Thompson’s appointment is a key milestone in RME’s ownership transition, following the company’s transitional sale agreement with Resource Capital Funds in November 2024, which included an investment from the Australian Government’s National Reconstruction Fund Corporation.

RME Holdings Board Director Dr Peter Rubie described the succession plans as key to ensuring RME continues to reach its next level of technological and operational potential.

“Successful leadership at RME is highly collaborative, dynamic and exciting. In this way, Simon continues RME’s successful and rich tradition of engineering leadership, blending technical rigour with entrepreneurialism,” Rubie said.

Thompson holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering with First Class Honours from the University of Southern Queensland and is a named inventor and co-inventor on several mechanical device patents.

Picture: Supplied