Don Duval

Don has spent nearly three decades leading, growing, and transforming companies and organizations around the world.  Currently, Don serves as Principal, Head of Mining, for Evok Innovations – a venture capital fund investing in breakthrough technologies to transform mining, energy, and other foundational industries.

Prior to Evok, Don spent 14 years as the CEO of NORCAT, the world’s leading technology and innovation hub serving the global mining industry. In addition to growing the organization into a market leader, he spearheaded the development of the NORCAT Underground Centre – the world’s only operating mine that serves as a place for companies to develop, test, and demonstrate / de-risk emerging technologies.

Prior to NORCAT, Don was the EVP Strategy and Operations at the MaRS Discovery District, was an Investment Director at the MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund, and founded and served as the Managing Director of the Catalyst Fund, a seed-stage co-investment venture fund headquartered in Sudbury, Ontario. Don started his career working with both Andersen and Deloitte Consulting.

Don has served on multiple boards and currently supports the Creative Destruction Lab’s Mining and Minerals group and the NORCAT Underground Centre’s mining technology and innovation program. He is a member of YPO Toronto, holds the ICD.D designation, and has received multiple awards including the Bell Business Excellence Award for CEO of the Year and the Queen’s University Alumni Association Humanitarian of the Year.

Don holds a Masters in Engineering and Management from MIT, a Masters of Applied Science / Engineering from the University of Toronto, and a BScH in Chemistry from Queen’s University.