Barrick Gold picks new CEO

Gold company Barrick Gold Corp. said Tuesday it has tapped Aaron Regent to be its next chief executive officer.

Regent, 43, is a chartered accountant and currently the senior managing partner of Brookfield Asset Management Inc. and co-CEO of its infrastructure group. Regent will assume his duties on Jan. 16.

He was previously the president and CEO of Canadian mining company Falconbridge Ltd. from 2002 to 2005.

Regent takes over his new role from Barrick founder and chairman Peter Munk, who has been acting CEO since March of this year, when he replaced Greg Wilkins, who went on medical leave. Wilkins returned to Barrick in July in the role of executive vice-chairman.

"In these times in particular, gold is a unique property as a store of value that is emerging as an asset class of increasing importance," Regent said in a release. "I am really pleased to join the company at a time that is both exciting and challenging for the gold industry."