Mr.Benitz brings over 45 years of financial markets and investment banking experience to the Company. He graduated from Fettes College in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1951 and received his early investment banking training at Wisener & Company in Canada. As a result of mergers in the early 1970’s Walwyn Stodgell Cochran Murray was created, a large investment banking firm headquartered in Toronto. Mr. Benitz, as Director, was the Member Seatholder of both the New York and Toronto Stock Exchanges and held responsibility for the international business of the firm. In 1982 he returned to England with Walwyn Stodgell and created Benitz and Partners in 1988. The firm specialized in corporate finance, raising risk capital for natural resource companies.
Dave Paxton – Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Paxton was educated in Zimbabwe and then trained by Goldfields of South Africa as a mining engineer and mine manager of the production section. He completed a National Diploma in Metalliferous Mining in 1980 and acquired the Mine Managers Certificate in 1982. In 1983 he joined a South African stockbroker as a mining analyst for the South African mining industry. In 1988 he moved to the UK as a mining analyst in London. Dave has 35 years within the mining industry. He was recently CEO of Vatukoula Gold Mines plc, and AIM listed gold mining company – which was sold in 2013 to a Chinese mining company, Zhongrun.
Paul Lemmon – Chief Operating Officer
Mr. Lemmon is a professional Geologist with experience in numerous jurisdictions worldwide. Most notably he has 25 years experience in several African countries. In addition to having held directorship positions at a number of public and private companies. Mr. Lemmon is the Chief Geologist, co-founder and Director of Copperzone Resources Ltd, a successful project generator and exploration company in Zambia. Mr. Lemmon is co-founder of Kalahari Copper Ltd and assembled its license portfolio, and CEO of GroAfrica, an African agri business. Mr. Lemmon is a Professional Graduate of United Kingdom’s Institute of Materials, a Fellow of the Geological Society of London, and a Registered Professional Natural Scientist in South Africa. Mr. Lemmon’s experience in the mineral/mining energy sector dates back to 1987.
Jonathan Morley-Kirk – Director
Thirty years of experience including 17 years in Non-Executive Director roles with expertise in financial controls, audit, remuneration, capital raisings, taxation/ structuring and risk management.
