Mr Alasdair COOKE

Executive Chairman

Mr Cooke has over 27 years’ experience in the resource exploration and mining industry throughout Australia and internationally, initially as part of BHP Minerals Business Development Group and with the last fourteen years managing public resource companies as part of the Mitchell River Group. Mitchell River Group has been responsible for a number of successful mining operations and resource companies developed over the past twelve years, including African Energy Resources Ltd, Exco Resources Ltd, Albidon Ltd, Sally Malay Mining Ltd (now Panoramic Resources Ltd) and Mirabella Nickel Ltd.

Mr Cooke is also a Director of Anova Metals Ltd, Energy Ventures Ltd (now Eve Investments Ltd) and Caravel Minerals Ltd.

Mr Cooke holds a first-class honours degree in Geology and a bachelor’s degree in Science from the University of Western Australia and is a member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists.

Dr Frazer TABEART

Managing Director

Dr Tabeart has more than 25 years experience in the international resources industry in both exploration and mining projects covering coal, uranium, nickel, copper and gold across five continents.

Since 2005 Dr Tabeart has worked for African Energy developing projects in Zambia and Botswana, prior to which he was a Principal Geoscientist at Western Mining Corporation where he held various positions over the previous 16 years.

Dr Tabeart has a first-class honours degree and PhD from the Royal School of Mines in London and is also a member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists and the Society of Economic Geologists.

Mr Valentine CHITALU

Non-Executive Director

Mr Chitalu has had both an international and local career over a period of fifteen years in the fields of private equity, privatisation, merchant banking, corporate finance, accounting, auditing, development economics, capital markets and business/private sector development in transitional economies. He has a significant interest in private sector development in southern Africa and is extensively networked in the region.

Mr Chitalu has worked for KPMG London, Meridien Financial Services as Manager, Corporate Finance and the Zambia Privatisation Agency (ZPA) as Chief Executive Officer and most recently as Central African Director with CDC (formerly Commonwealth Development Corporation). Whilst at ZPA, he planned and led the privatisation of Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) and Lunsemfwa Hydro.

Mr Chitalu has been a Non-executive Director of African Energy Resources since listing and has assisted African Energy through his extensive business and Government contacts in the region. He also holds Current Directorships in various private entities.

Mr Chitalu is a Chartered Certified Accountant, Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (UK) and holds a practising certificate from the Zambia Institute of Certified Accountants. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Economics, Finance and Politics of Development from Cambridge University as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Zambia.

Mr Ian HUME

Non-Executive Director

Mr Hume’s career in the resources industry stretches back several decades, primarily in the fields of managed fund investments, capital raising and project development. In early 2000, Mr Hume became a Founding Partner of The Sentient Group, an independent private equity investment firm specialising in the resources sector which now has investments and commitments totalling in excess of US$2.5b. Sentient’s current investment portfolio includes projects in power generation, energy storage, potash, and base, precious and ferrous metals mining. Prior to co-founding The Sentient Group, Mr Hume was a consultant to AMP’s Private Capital Division, focusing on international resources and telecommunications strategies. He also managed a privately controlled investment company, Devipo, and was a Director of an international investment company, Impala Pacific.

Since his retirement from The Sentient Group in 2008, Mr Hume has been an independent advisor to the Fund. He currently sits on the Boards of Silver City Mines, Golden Minerals and Iron Road.

Mr John DEAN

Non-Executive Director

Mr Dean has worked for First Quantum Minerals since 2011 during which time he has fulfilled various roles within their mining operations, including their flagship mine in Zambia, Sentinel Copper Mine. Prior to joining FQM, Mr Dean worked as an Analyst in the energy and natural resource industries, possessing expertise in the valuation and commercial analysis of upstream oil and gas projects, as well as in electricity, natural gas, and crude oil markets.

Mr Dean will lead the team responsible for the development of power generation projects at the Sese Coal & Power Project under the recently signed joint venture between African Energy Resources and First Quantum Minerals Ltd.

Mr Dean graduated with honours from the University of Louisville in the United States with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and was later awarded an MBA, with distinction, from the University of Oxford.