TMC the Metals Company has added Liam Mallon, the former president of ExxonMobil Upstream, to its board of directors as the company moves closer to commercial seabed mining operations.
Mallon spent 35 years with Mobil and ExxonMobil and retired in 2025 after serving as president of ExxonMobil Upstream and vice president of ExxonMobil Corp. In that role, he oversaw $20 billion to $30 billion in annual capital deployment and helped drive major growth initiatives, including ExxonMobil’s Guyana development and the $60 billion acquisition and integration of Pioneer Natural Resources.
His appointment comes as TMC pushes through NOAA’s review process for its U.S. seabed mineral applications. In August, NOAA published TMC USA’s consolidated application for an exploration license and commercial recovery permit over the USA-A area. Days earlier, NOAA also published notice of intent to develop an environmental impact statement for the company’s exploration license application over the USA-B area.
Mallon will chair the board’s sustainability and innovation committee. He replaces Brendan May, who is stepping down after two years on the board. TMC said May had been involved in stakeholder engagement around the environmental case for the company’s proposed operations.
The company said Mallon’s background in offshore operations, capital allocation and large-scale project execution is intended to strengthen board oversight as TMC prepares for what it describes as the world’s first commercial subsea mining operation on the high seas. Today the company's shares have moved -1.78% to a price of $3.86. For more information, read the company's full 8-K submission here.
