Board of Directors and Management Team
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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STEPHEN HARRISON
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Non-Executive Chairman
Stephen Harrison was appointed Chair of Epwin Group plc, the leading UK manufacturer of PVC, glass reinforced plastic and aluminium building products, in May 2024 having joined the Board as a Non-Executive Director in 2022. He is also a Non-Executive Director of Castings plc, a leading iron casting and machining group based in the UK, supplying both the domestic and export heavy truck, wind power, agriculture, rail and material handling markets.
Stephen served as Chief Executive of Forterra plc, a leading UK manufacturer of essential clay and concrete building products, from April 2016 until May 2023. Having led the business since 2012, he successfully steered the Company through a divestment process from former owner Heidelberg Materials into private equity ownership in 2015 and led the IPO onto the London Stock Exchange in 2016.
Prior to this role, Stephen held a variety of senior management roles within the construction materials industry for a decade, supplying the infrastructure, commercial and residential construction markets. He has served as a Director of several key construction sector trade associations.
Stephen has a degree in Economics and a Masters in Business Administration from Cranfield School of Management.
DAVID CONNAL CATHER
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Non-Executive Director
David joined Tungsten West in September 2021 as a Non-Executive Director and went onto become Chairman in November 2022.
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David was formerly CEO (Mining) of Abu Dhabi Capital Group, a private family office based in UAE and immediately prior to that was CEO of Avocet Mining plc, an LSE and Oslo listed gold production company with a 95,000oz per annum operating mine in Burkina Faso and an advanced development project in Guinea. David’s previous roles include Chief Operating Officer of European Goldfields and being a member of a London based fund management team and various positions with Anglo American plc. He has participated in numerous acquisitions and IPOs of mining companies on various stock exchanges and has significant expertise in mine development.
He is currently Non-Executive Chairman of Metals Exploration PLC, an Independent Director of JSC AK Altynalmas, a Kazakhstan listed emerging mid-tier gold producer and of Galantas Gold Corporation, a dual listed (AIM:TSX.V) Northern Irish underground gold developer.
As well as being Chair of the Board, David is also Chair of the Technical Committee.
Richard joined the Company as a Non-Executive director in December 2020 and informally represents the Company’s shareholders, Henry Maxey and Eden Rock.
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Richard started his career as an Associate Consultant in the Transaction Services Group at PricewaterhouseCoopers Strategy Group, specialising in European commercial due diligence and strategy consulting. Having worked on several corporate and private equity transactions, Richard moved to Earlcrown Ltd, a private equity and property group with a range of portfolio investments, primarily in the consumer goods sector. Richard then worked for a South African family office, Vasari Global Ltd, as a principal, running the specialised private resources fund gaining extensive knowledge of, and experience in, the natural resources sector investing in public and private mining businesses worldwide. Richard currently works as a consultant investment advisor to an investment advisory firm, Eden Rock Group, that invests its proprietary capital with a focus on venture and early-stage private equity across a range of sectors. Richard holds a B.A. in Economics and Management from the University of Oxford and is a CFA charterholder.
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Richard acts as a Non-Independent Non-Executive Director.
RICHARD (Rick) WILLIAM MACFARLANE MAXEY
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Non-Executive Director
MARTIN WOOD
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Senior Independent
Non-Executive Director
Martin is the founder and Managing Director of Vicarage Capital, an FCA registered, full service brokerage house which provides assistance to junior and mid-cap resources companies. Martin established Vicarage Capital in 2003 and has advised many companies on their AIM listings and long-term mining strategies.
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Martin was the CEO of ASX listed, Kogi Iron Limited between 2017 and 2019, where he secured a community development agreement with key stakeholders, arranged indicative offers for full bank debt-based project financing, as well as completing various on-going milestones, including a Scoping Study and metallurgical test work, as part of the definitive feasibility study.
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Martin is non executive director of Royal Helium Limited, a Canadian listed critical resource company currently in the process of dual listing in London.
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Between 1993 and 2003, Martin worked in corporate finance at NM Rothchild & Sons, Standard Bank, London and Benfield Advisory, providing services to resources companies. Martin has an MBA from Exeter University which he gained in 1993.
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Martin is Chair of the Remuneration Committee.
GUY EDWARDS
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Non-Executive Director
Guy joined Tungsten West in September 2023 as a Non-Executive Director, formerly CEO of Aggregate Industries UK and prior to that CEO of Aggregate Industries USA, with turnovers in excess of £1billion respectively.
Guy’s previous roles include Managing Director of Midland Quarry Products and twenty five years of senior management experience with Hanson PLC. He has participated in numerous acquisitions both in the UK and USA and has significant expertise in aggregates and business development.
He is currently Integration Director of SigmaRoc PLC(AIM listed) and co-founder of sustainability startup company XEROC.
Guy is a fellow of the Institute of Quarrying and has a first class honours degree in Quarry Engineering.
ADRIAN BOUGOURD
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Non-Executive Director
Adrian is part of the Developed Markets team at Lansdowne Partners (UK) LLP.
Adrian joined Lansdowne Partners in November 2010, having previously worked as a European equity, credit & event driven analyst at Perry Capital.
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Adrian is a seasoned and highly experienced senior financial analyst who has spent most of the last 20 years analysing and advising companies in the industrial and cyclical space across the globe. At Perry, Adrian was responsible for sourcing and analysing Public & Private European Investment opportunities and the capital structure. Prior to joining Perry Capital in May 2006, Adrian worked at Merrill Lynch, as an Assistant Vice President on the European Transport and Leisure and Capital Goods Teams.
KEVIN JOHN ROSS
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Non-Executive Director
Mr. Ross is a European Engineer (Eur Ing) with an honours degree in Mining Engineering from the Royal School of Mines.
Across the last 24 years, he has held numerous COO roles for operating and development companies in Greece, Australia and Canada.
He has been part of the senior management teams of two acquired companies, Red Back Mining, which was acquired by Kinross, and Orca Gold, which was acquired by Perseus Mining, and is currently the COO of Montage Gold Corp, which is developing a large-scale gold project in Cote d’Ivoire.
SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM
JEFFERY COURT​
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Chief Executive Officer
Jeff is an experienced international mining executive, having worked in the mineral resource sector for over 30 years, covering numerous roles from project feasibility and start-up, major EPC/EPCM and product mineral processing plant projects, mining operations and contract mining services, operational and business management.
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Having started his career at Rio Tinto, during which time he was heavily involved in mine feasibility and long-term planning, Jeff spent 15 years at Orica where he held multiple senior business executive roles
and led a structural and strategic review to improve business performance. Jeff subsequently worked at FLSmidth, where he oversaw the industrial capital equipment division of over US$500 million annually, and Perenti Limited (formerly Ausdrill Ltd), where he was responsible for the operational and business management of the African Mining Service division, which reported US$350 million annual turn-over across seven major mining sites in Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana.
More recently, as the Chief Executive Officer - Mining & Chief Development Officer - Mining of Capital's drilling and mining services business, Jeff has managed the provision of its services to the industry, ranging from exploration, grade control and production drilling to load and haul contract mining. Collectively, these roles have spanned across Australia, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and North America.
ALISTAIR STOBIE
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Chief Financial Officer
Alistair has successfully raised investment for capital-intensive projects and has a proven track record of delivering complex projects on time and within budget. Adept at managing and overseeing multiple projects simultaneously with strong analytical skills and the ability to identify and mitigate risks.
His career focus has been delivering sector strategic growth-oriented CFO roles within operations, delivering on capital raising, private equity, early stage and emerging markets.
MARICA LYNDON
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Head of Operations & Stakeholder Engagement
Marica brings over 15 years of dedicated experience in government service as a civil servant and a seasoned senior leader specialising in managing complex, multifaceted operations. Throughout her career, she has successfully led large-scale initiatives across the UK and Northern Ireland, demonstrating exceptional capability in driving efficiencies, organisation, and strategic development.
In her role as Head of Operations & Stakeholder Engagement, Marica oversees and optimises operations sites, ensuring smooth and effective functioning while maintaining a sharp focus on long-term success. She has a proven track record of accelerating organisational development by implementing innovative strategies, fostering operational excellence, and enhancing productivity. Marica’s expertise extends to navigating intricate regulatory environments and fostering robust relationships with stakeholders both internally and externally.
She excels at aligning organisational goals with community interests, driving positive engagement, and promoting sustainable growth. Her leadership promotes a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and collaboration that supports long-term success.
Her portfolio of delivering operational efficiency, community prioritisation, and stakeholder communication underscores her commitment to delivering impactful, sustainable outcomes that elevate the organisations she serves and the communities they operate within.
PHIL POVEY​
Head of Commercial & Corporate Development
Phil Povey brings over 18 years of extensive experience in the mining and mining services industry, with a deep expertise in commercial, financial, and operational leadership across multiple continents including Australia, Africa, Asia, and Europe. His career has been marked by a strong focus on developing innovative mining start-up projects, emphasising employee engagement and fostering positive community relations.
Throughout his career, Phil has held senior positions at renowned organisations such as Macmahon, Perenti (African Mining Services), Orica, and Capital Limited. At Capital, he played a pivotal role in building its mining contracting division from inception, transforming it into a business generating over $90 million in annual revenue.
At Macmahon, he managed the company’s international commercial and financial operations, delivering its largest project start-up to date and spearheading the development of significant projects in new markets. Prior to this, Phil spent more than a decade with Orica, where he held various roles including European Financial Controller.
Based in the UK, he served as a director across multiple country operations, overseeing financial performance and spearheading initiatives that substantially improved profitability and operational efficiency.
Phil holds a Bachelor of Commerce with First Class Honours from the University of Western Australia and is a Certified Practising Accountant (CPA). His diverse experience across numerous mining jurisdictions underscores his expertise in project execution, financial oversight, and sustainable growth, making him a valuable leader in driving strategic development and operational excellence.
BOARD COMMITTEES
Audit and Risk Management Committee
The Audit and Risk Management Committee comprises Martin Wood, who will act as chair.
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Remuneration Committee
The Remuneration Committee comprises Martin Wood, who will act as chair, David Cather and Richard Maxey.
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Technical Committee
The Technical Committee comprises David Cather, who will act as chair.
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