Chase Alumni Association

In Memoriam: William A. Mulligan

Mining Professional

From Clare Bruder Mullarney: It is with deep sadness that I submit the below notice from Griffin Mining regarding our colleague, William A. Mulligan. Bill and I had the pleasure of working together for over 20 years, first when he was Senior Technical Director of the Chase Global Mining and Metals Group in the Corporate Bank, starting when Tony Coe ran that illustrious Division. Subsequently, we continued our careers together for several more years when he was a Managing Director of the Investment Bank, Prudential-Bache Capital Funding. The logo for our team at Pru-Bache back then: “The Rock is in the Mining Business”.

Bill and I travelled the world together over these many years and came to be known as a sort of Nick and Nora of the Mining Industry. To say that he was respected everywhere we went is a giant understatement…his technical skills were renowned in this global industry. But it was Bill’s engaging over-the-top personality that those who had the pleasure of working with him will most remember. The stories that could be told here are endless and legendary.

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William A. Mulligan, 71, who passed away on August 22, 2015 and was a director of Griffin Mining Ltd from 1997 through to 2013, was a longtime, very well known mining professional, based in New York.

After graduating with a BSc from Thomas Clarkson University, an MS in Geological Engineering from the University of Connecticut and an MBA from NYU Bernard Baruch School of Business Administration, he served with distinction in the U.S. Marine Corps, various mining companies such as Amax and Latin American Gold and numerous investment and commercial banks such as Chase Manhattan and Lehman Brothers, as Managing Director and Head of Mining at Prudential Bache and finally as Managing Director for Global Projects and Political Risk at AIG Global Trade and Political Risk Insurance Company. He was also a non-executive director of Arcon International Plc and, most enjoyably in his latter years, of Griffin Mining Ltd from October 1997 until December 2013, where he participated at board level in trailblazing a path into mining in the People’s Republic of China; Griffin was the first foreign company to obtain mining and exploration licences in the country and to construct a new foreign-owned mine at Caijiaying in northwest China.

Bill was a huge supporter and a wise head as Griffin grew from a small exploration company into a substantial producing mining company. His stature, knowledge and experience were invaluable during his time with Griffin. His humor and continual positive outlook lifted all those around him during difficult times. Bill voluntarily resigned from the board of Griffin upon reaching his 70th birthday.

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Anyone wishing to share a remembrance should send it to news@chasealum.org.

From Jean Marc Bara: I worked in the Mining and Metals Division in the early 80’s, where I had the privilege of getting to know Bill Mulligan. Bill was an energetic, unconventional, and very interesting person, with a wealth of knowledge and wisdom in mining and metals, and beyond that as well. Two memories illustrate that beyond professional competence, Bill was great fun to be with. One of Bill’s favorite relaxing activities was to leap over the tall bank of credit files which separated the rows of desks in the Division, always missing the ceiling but not always landing on his feet. Also, he was particularly proud of a Koteka (also known as a penis sheath) that hung in his office and I believe was presented to him by a Papua chief in one of Bill’s mineral field assessment travels that sometimes brought him deep into the jungle.

From Manuel Pena-Morros: Having learned with sadness of the death of Bill, it is very sad news to see a gentleman and a wonderful individual passing away. I met Bill during my tenures in Colombia and Mexico. We always enjoyed his visits and we always got the best out of him. Our clients and prospects loved him. I offer heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones.

From Elliott Jones: I worked with Bill in the Mining and Metals Group at Chase in the late 1970s and early 1980s . I particularly enjoyed some of the memos he wrote for Credit approvals. One deal he wrote about was a uranium company Chase was financing. We visited the mine and he described the mine shaft as a ”rickety affair at best” – very helpful for the approval. Another was his 10-point guide for financing cement plants in less developed countries. Point 8 was “make sure the premier of the country’s brother-in-law is on the Board.” Bill had an aggressive personality, being both a wrestler in high school and then a Marine. He liked to hunt, as did our boss Tony Coe. One day Bill came in with a picture of himself with a large trout in one hand and a large caliber rifle in the other. What ‘s wrong with this picture? Bill had shot the trout, which appalled the consummate sportsman, Tony Coe, no end. Bill got to see a lot of the world that most of us have never seen in his travels on mining deals. Remembering Bill brought back wonderful memories of a time at Chase when being good at your job and also colorful was not a bad thing. I will miss Bill.