The Board of Directors of 5N Plus Inc. announced the appointment of Mr. Luc Bertrand as the Company's new Chairman of the Board effective immediately. He succeeds Mr. Jean-Marie Bourassa, who will continue to serve on the board and as Chair of the Audit & Risk Management Committee, a position he already holds. Mr. Luc Bertrand is Vice-Chairman of National Bank of Canada, a position he has assumed since February 2011, where he is responsible for developing and maintaining relations with corporate, institutional and government clients in Canada.

He also acts as strategic advisor to management, particularly on matters pertaining to government relations and capital market regulations. From 2000 to 2009, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of Montreal Exchange Inc. and held the position of Vice-President and Managing Director of Institutional Equity Sales at National Bank Financial from 1998 to 2000. Mr. Bertrand also serves on the Board of TMX Group and previously held the position of Chief Executive Officer of Maple Group Acquisition Corporation.

In recent years, he has been a director of the Canadian Derivatives Clearing Corporation, Vice-Chairman of the Board of the Boston Options Exchange, Chairman of the Board of the Montréal Climate Exchange, and a director of the Natural Gas Exchange.