Yamana Gold Inc. announced that, in order to facilitate this strategy, two of the directors of the Company, Messrs Nigel Lees and Robert Gallagher, have agreed to step down from the Board. While Mr. Lees has been a long-serving member of the Board, he had reached retirement age and chose to make way for a new generation of directors. As for Mr. Gallagher, he has been instrumental in the recent efforts of the Company to pursue operational excellence, which have now been fulfilled. Both Messrs Lees and Gallagher felt the oversight of the Company was now well in hand and volunteered to step down from the Board to facilitate the strategy that smaller and more streamlined is better. For a transition period of time, Mr. Gallagher has indicated that he will continue to be available to the Company for any advice or support it may need.