David Birkenshaw, Director and Chairman
Mr. Birkenshaw has been the President and CEO of Birkenshaw & Company Ltd. since its formation in 1989. He was a Senior Vice President and Director of PriceWaterhouseCoopers Securities LLP specializing in mergers, acquisitions and related financial advisory work in mining and marine transport industries from 1998 to 2000. Mr. Birkenshaw, through Birkenshaw & Company Ltd. has acted as a merchant banker, making significant investments across a broad range of industry sectors.
Terry Krepiakevich, CA, Interim CEO and Director
Mr. Krepiakevich, CA, is the interim CEO of the Company and Chairman of its audit committee. He was a Senior Advisor to SouthGobi Resources Ltd. from July 2011 to July 2012. He served as Chief Financial Officer of SouthGobi from July 2006 to July 2011. He has been a Director of Alexco Resource Corp., a TSX-listed and NYSE-Amex listed mineral resources company, since July 2009 and a Director of St. Augustine Gold & Copper Limited, a TSX-listed mineral resources company since October 2011. He was previously the Chief Financial Officer of Extreme CCTV Inc., a formerly TSX-listed company (since acquired), from November 2000 to July 2006 and was also a Director from June 2001 to July 2006. Mr. Krepiakevich was the Chief Executive Officer and a Director of First Industrial Capital Corp. from September 1997 to March 2004. He was the Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Maynards Industries from July 1988 to June 2000.
Edward Flood, MSc., P.Geo, Director
Mr. Flood has over 35 years of experience in international mining. He was CEO of the Company from December 2010 to February 2013 and its Chairman from March 2007 to February 2013. He previously was the Chairman of Western Lithium USA Corporation., and the Deputy Chairman of Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. and its founding President. Prior to joining Ivanhoe, Ed was a principal at Robertson Stephens & Co., an investment bank in San Francisco where he was a member of the investment team for the Contrarian Fund, a public mutual fund focused on natural resource development projects around the world. He also served as the Non-Executive Chairman of Byron Capital Markets from 2010 to 2012 and was Managing Director, Investment Banking for Haywood Securities (UK) Ltd. From 2007 to 2010. He holds both a bachelors and masters degree in Geology.
Gérard de la Vallée Poussin, Director
Mr. de la Vallée Poussin has spent most of his life in East and West Africa. He was employed by Anglo American and De Beers before joining the Phillip Brothers group (Phibro) with the responsibility for developing African markets in crude oil and refined oil products. He was appointed Director of Phibro Energy Ltd., and later co-founded Kaines (UK) where he was Director then CEO until 1988. From 1995 to 2003 he was advisor to De Beers Exploration for development of new opportunities in French-speaking West and Central Africa. He was a founder of Arc Mining and Investment SA which merged with Zambezi Gold Plc to form Swala Resources Plc in 2007.
John D. Fognani, LL.B, Director
Mr. Fognani is Vice President - Legal and General Counsel for Ivanhoe Capital Corporation. John has had extensive experience in the areas of natural resources, environmental and real property law, including permitting, counseling and compliance issues, and numerous complex transactions and litigated matters involving natural resources and environmental matters. The emphasis of his practice is in the areas of resource project development, access and public lands issues, project finance, and compliance with federal, state and local mining and oil and gas laws and requirements. He has developed substantive knowledge of facilities and operations in a wide range of different industries, including the mining, oil and gas and manufacturing industries, with regard to mining, milling, smelting and refining ores and minerals (including primary and secondary processing), and has advised clients on complex, technical international and corporate matters.
Peter C. Jones, Director
Mr. Jones currently serves on the Boards of both, Century Aluminum (NASDAQ) and Royal Nickel Corp. (TSX), as well as being a partner of Setter Group since June 2007. He served as Interim President and CEO of IAMGOLD Corp. from January - November 2010, and was a Director of that Company from April 2006, until May 2011. Mr. Jones was also President and a Director of Inco Ltd., until CVRD (now Vale) took over in late 2006. Mr. Jones has more than 40 years of experience in the mining industry, including work in Europe, Africa, North and South America, Australia and Asia.
Pamela J. Klessig, P.Geo., Director
Ms. Klessig has over 27 years of experience in global mineral exploration, development and production. She began her career with Homestake Mining Company working as the mine geologist at the company's uranium Pitch Mine in Colorado. Ms. Klessig also worked for Cyprus Minerals, Amselco, BP Minerals, Kennecott and Gencor where she held positions ranging from exploration geologist to exploration manager of Mexico. In addition to her considerable exploration experience, Ms. Klessig has been a member of feasibility teams working on engineering studies, mine planning, and metallurgical projects for reserve and feasibility studies conducted on a variety of projects by BP Minerals. Ms. Klessig also worked for Indochina Goldfields, now Ivanhoe Mines, during the Initial Public Offering as the Vice President of Investor Relations. Ms. Klessig is currently a member of Kirkland Lake Gold's Board of Directors. As a compliment to her technical expertise she obtained her U.S. Series 7 brokerage license and worked as a stockbroker for four years with A.G. Edwards and Sons, Inc. Ms. Klessig holds a Bachelor in geology from Western State College and is a Certified Professional Geologist as defined by the American Institute of Professional Geologists and is a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101 standards.
Pierre B. Lebel, MBA, LLB, Director
Mr. Lebel is Chairman of TSX-listed Imperial Metals Corporation, a British Columbia based mine developer and operator. He is Lead Director of SouthGobi Resources Ltd. and director of Zedi Inc., West Kirkland Mining Inc., and HomEquity Bank, and he has over thirty years experience in managerial and advisory roles in the mineral resources industry. Mr. Lebel earned his Master of Business Administration from McMaster University Ontario, Canada in 1973 and his Bachelor of Laws from the University of Western Ontario in 1976. He is also a director of the Mining Association of British Columbia and the Mining Association of Canada. He was awarded the 1998 E.A. Scholz Medal for outstanding contribution to mine development in British Columbia.
Borden Putnam, BSc., RPG, Director
Mr. Putnam has spent the most recent 17 years as analyst for the investment management industry (hedge funds), predominately in natural resources sectors (mining and oil & gas). Prior career experience includes over 20-years within the mining industry, most in senior and management positions. Working worldwide with MRDI (now Amec) Putnam held positions of Chief Geologist and Vice President – Geology (5-years); with Newmont Mining as Senior Geologist and Manager – Eastern Great Basin (9-years); and throughout the intermountain western US and Southeast Missouri Lead Belt with AMAX Exploration as Project Geologist (6-years). Mr. Putnam holds an MSc in Geology-Geochemistry and BSc in Geology, and is a Registered Professional Geologist in California and Wyoming.