Directors
Robert J. Annells CPA, F.Fin (Executive Chairman)
Mr. Annells is a former member of the Australian Stock Exchange with over forty years experience in the securities industry, and is also a qualified accountant. His experience includes provision of corporate and investment advice to the business and resources industries. Mr Annells has served on the Lakes Oil N.L. board since 1984 and is currently the Chairman of both Lakes Oil N.L. and Greenearth Energy Limited (appointed in July 2010), as well as being a Director of Rum Jungle Resources Limited. During the past three years Mr. Annells has also served on the board of ASX listed Minotaur Exploration Limited and was Chairman of the London based company Xtract Energy PLC. Mr Annells served as the Chairman of Minotaur Exploration Limited from its listing in February 2005 until his retirement from the Board in February 2010.
Barney I. Berold BCom, MBA. (Non Executive Director)
Mr. Berold is an investment banker previously with a major European-based banking group. Appointed to the board on 21 February 2007, he has had considerable experience in corporate finance advising on strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and funding. He is a former Stockbroker, and served on the boards of The Stock Exchange of Melbourne as well as the Australian Stock Exchange. Mr. Berold is a member of the Audit Committee of Lakes Oil N.L. During the past three years Mr. Berold has not held any other listed company directorships.
The Honourable Alexander Downer AC (Non Executive Director)
The Honourable Alexander Downer, AC was appointed to the Board on 1st February 2013 and had a long and distinguished political career spanning 23 years, including serving as the Leader of the Opposition from 1994 to 1995 and Foreign Minister of Australia from 1996 to 2007, the longest-serving in Australian history. Prior to entering parliament, he held a number of senior positions in government and the private sector. Mr. Downer has a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Politics and Economics and is a Doctor of Civil Laws (honoris causa). He also holds a Doctor of Philosophy from Bar Ilan University.
Since retiring from politics, Mr. Downer has applied himself to many commercial and cultural pursuits, including being a visiting professor at Adelaide University, a Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary General, as partner in his strategic advisory firm Bespoke Approach, as well as sitting on a number of boards.
Nicholas Mather BSc (Hons. Geology) MAusIIM (Non Executive Director)
Mr. Nicholas (Nick) Mather was appointed to the Board on 1st February 2012 and in addition is currently Managing Director and founder of DGR Global Limited (ASX) and Director (and co-founder) of Solomon Gold Plc (LSE AIM).
Mr. Mather has been involved in the junior resource sector at all levels for more than 25 years and was co-founder and a Non-Executive Director of Bow Energy Ltd until it was acquired by Arrow NL for $530 million in December 2011. Mr. Mather was also co-founder and served as an Executive Director of Arrow NL until 2004 when Arrow Energy was acquired by Royal Dutch Shell Plc and the PetroChina Group, for a value of approximately $3.5 billion.
Mr. Mather is Chairman of Armour Energy Ltd and was also Chairman of Waratah Coal Inc. before its $150 million takeover by Clive Palmer’s Mineralogy Ltd in 2009.
During the past three years Mr. Mather has also served as a Director of the following ASX listed companies:
DGR Global Ltd * (October 2001- current)
Armour Energy Ltd * - Executive Chairman (March 2012 - current)
AusNiCo Limited * (December 2006 - current)
Navaho Gold Limited – Chairman * (January 2003 – current)
Orbis Gold Limited (formerly Mt Isa Metals Limited ) * (June 2006 – current)
Bow Energy Ltd (September 2004 – December 2011)
Waratah Coal Inc. (May 2005 until December 2008) (ASX listed from November 2008 to December 2008)
During the past three years Mr. Mather has also served as a Director of the following Alternative Investment Market (AIM) listed company:
Solomon Gold Plc * (May 2005 – current)
* denotes current directorship
Professor Ian R. Plimer BSc,(Hons), PhD (Non Executive Director)
Professor Plimer was appointed to the Board on 27TH January 2013 and is Emeritus Professor at The University of Melbourne where he was Professor and Head of the School of Earth Sciences (1991-2005). He was Professor of Geology (University of Newcastle 1985-1991) and Professor of Mining Geology (University of Adelaide 2005-2012). He has been awarded the prestigious Leopold von Buch Medal for Science, the Centenary Medal, the Eureka Prize (twice) and is a Fellow of the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, a Fellow of the Geological Society of London and a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Professor Plimer has published more than 130 scientific papers and is author of multiple best-selling books for the general public. Professor Plimer's main geological interests are in resources. He serves on the boards of listed companies (Ivanhoe Australia Ltd, Silver City Minerals Ltd, Niuminco Group Ltd, Kefi Minerals Ltd) and unlisted companies (Hancock Prospecting group companies, TNT Mines Ltd and Perth Resources Ltd).
William R. Stubbs LLB (Non Executive Director)
William (Bill) Stubbs was appointed to the Board on 1st February 2012. He is a lawyer of 35 years experience, having practiced in the area of commercial law including stock exchange listings and all areas of mining law. Mr Stubbs has been a Director of various public companies over the past 25 years in the mineral exploration and biotech fields. He is the former Chairman of Alchemia Limited, Stradbroke Ferries Limited and Bemax Resources Limited which discovered and developed extensive mineral sands resources in the Murray Basin. He was the founding Chairman of Arrow Energy NL. Mr. Stubbs currently acts as the Non-Executive Chairman of DGR Global Limited and Chairman of the Advisory Board of Tetra Q – the commercial arm of the centre for integrated preclinical drug development of the University of Queensland. He also serves as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Coalbank Limited (appointed in March 2008) and Armour Energy Ltd (appointed December 2009). Mr. Stubbs was appointed to the Audit Committee on 14 March 2012.
Matthew R. Stubbs BComm, LLB, MBA (Alternate Director)
Mr Stubbs was appointed as an Alternate Director for Mr. W. Stubbs on 10th May 2012. Mr. Stubbs is the founder and managing director of Allier Capital, an independent financial advisory firm focussed on middle-market clients. He has over 15 year’s investment banking experience. During his career he has worked on a broad range of mergers and acquisitions, capital raisings, restructurings and strategic reviews. From May 2012 to July 2012 Mr. Stubbs served as an alternate director on the boards of Armour Energy Ltd and DGR Global Ltd. He has held no other positions on listed company boards in the past three years.