Board of Directors
Philippe Henri Edmonds, Chairman
Age 55, (MA Cantab)
Philippe Edmonds holds an honours degree in land economy from Cambridge University. He played cricket for England and for Middlesex from 1974 to 1987 and has been involved in a number of public and private companies, primarily in the resource and property sector. He was a founder of Southern African Resources Plc, now African Platinum Plc and Middlesex Holdings Plc. He is also chairman of AIM – listed White Nile Ltd as well as Middlesex County Cricket Club.
Andrew Stuart Groves, Managing Director
Age 38
Andrew Groves was born in Harare, Zimbabwe and educated in Zimbabwe and South Africa. He has been involved in a number of private companies in these countries and has significant experience in the resource sectors and operations management in Southern and Central Africa, particularly in the DRC, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. He was a founder member of Southern African Resources, now African Platinum. He is also a director of AIM-listed White Nile Ltd.
Christopher Chapple, Chief Development
Aged 42
Mr. Chapple, an Oxford University Law graduate, has significant experience in structuring and executing M&A and financing transactions across a range of industries, including resource companies, in the UK and internationally. He has a strong track record in the development and successful execution of transformation strategies for public and private companies, including most recently as CEO of Williams F1 Team, and Chief Development Officer for SUAL International, one of Russia's largest corporations. He began his corporate career at Goldman Sachs where, as a Vice President, he was responsible for leading teams in charge of delivering advice and transactional execution for large UK and international M&A deals. From 2001-3 he was Executive Vice President of Marconi Plc, having been recruited to lead the company's asset disposal programme and support credit and negotiations. He successfully completed 16 disposals, raising over £2 billion, and assisted with the implementation of the corporate restructuring programme.
Andrew Burns, Chief Financial Officer
Age 45
Mr. Burns has over 20 years' financial experience working across various sectors in the corporate arena. He trained as a Chartered Accountant for Price Waterhouse Cooper, after which he had various directorships with both private and public companies. Most recently he was Chief Financial Officer of AIM listed company, Livermore Investments Group Limited, prior to which he was Finance Director of the FTSE 250 company, Luminar plc. He was also Senior Executive Business Development of the media group, Rank Group plc, and a Non-executive Director for the AIM listed investment group, Inflexion plc.
Management
Christopher John Parry, Regional Manager West Africa
Age 45
Chris is a qualified mining engineer, with a Mining Engineering degree from the University of Leeds. He has a strong background in mining production, project planning and evaluation. Chris has experience in executing exploration and mining projects in remote under-developed areas in Africa, South America and the Arctic. He joined CAMEC Plc in March 2005 to assist in project generation and development, and for the most part has been based in Bamako, Mali, driving the company’s West African programme.
Jeremy Sanford, General Manager Zimbabwe
Age 52
Born in Cape Town, South Africa Jeremy was educated in Zimbabwean before completing a law degree at University of Cape Town, BA.LLB. He then completed accountancy articles with KPMG and accountancy qualification through University of South Africa (UNISA). He spent 3 years at Delta Corporation (a subsidiary of SAB Millers) as Group Legal Secretary and thereafter has worked in the transport, furniture and mining industries for the last twenty years, in a general management capacity.
Izak Cornelis Holtzhausen, Country Manager Mozambique
Age 39
Izak was born and educated in South Africa. He became a permanent resident of Mozambique in 1988, where he established and successfully operated companies focussed on export & import, whole sale, fishing and mining. He joined CAMEC Plc in December 2003 as General Manager for all operations in Mozambique, and has successfully negotiated contracts and concessions, at senior government level, on behalf of the Company.
Euan Kay, Managing Director, D.E.C.A. Lda (Chimoio, Mozambique)
Age 49
Euan grew up and was educated in Zimbabwe, after which he served for three years in the security forces. He then worked as a safari camp manager, professional safari guide and commercial and instrument rated bush pilot in Botswana's Okavango delta from 1983 to 2004. Euan has also worked in a managerial capacity for Linyanti Explorations Safaris, Drystone (Pty) Ltd and Eastern Air (Pvt) Ltd and was Chief Pilot for Northern Air, before joining D.E.C.A in November 2004.
Allan Emile Saad, Consulting Geologist
Age 52
Allan Saad is an independent consulting geologist who graduated with an Honours degree in geology from Johannesburg University, and a Masters degree from the Potchefstroom University in South Africa. He spent 18 years with Rio Tinto Mining and Exploration Limited, rising to Business Development Manager for Africa. Since leaving Rio Tinto in 1999, Allan has focused mainly in the fields of mining, acquisitions, and project generation. He was also active in formulating new mining legislation in South Africa.