Board Composition and Experience
The Danakali board composition provides the experience and expertise to facilitate and manage the progression of DNK's 50% ownership of the Colluli Potash Project in Eritrea, East Africa:
Mr Seamus Ian Cornelius
(Executive Chairman)
Technical Background: Corporate lawyer LLB, LLM
Relevant Experience: Cross-border resources and finance commercial negotiations and documentation.
Mr Paul Michael Donaldson
(Non-Executive Director)
Technical Background: Masters Degree in Business and Technology, Degree in Chemical Engineering, Site General Manager (Mining Area C, BHP Billiton)
Relevant Experience: Extensive operational, technical marketing and supply chain management experience from a series of senior management roles with BHP Billiton.
Mr John Daniel Fitzgerald
(Non-Executive Director)
Technical Background: Chartered Accountant, Fellow of FINSIA, BSc Applied Science
Relevant Experience: Extensive project finance experience (Optimum Capital, NM Rothschild and Sons, Investec Bank Australia, Commonwealth Banks and HSBC Precious Metals).
Mr Andre Leon Liebenberg
(Non-Executive Director)
Technical Background: MBA, BSc (Elec) Eng.
Relevant Experience: Mining industry professional with extensive investor market, finance, business development and leadership experience. Over 25 years in private equity, investment banking, senior roles within BHP Billiton and most recently at QKR Corporation.
Mr Robert Gordon Connochie
(Non-Executive Director)
Technical Background: Industry expert, B.A. Sc, MBA
Relevant Experience: Extensive senior line management experience from the potash industry, directorships of listed international potash companies and leadership positions on multiple Potash Industry Associations
Ms Zhang Jing
(Non-Executive Director)
Technical Background: Master’s Degree in International Consultancy and Accounting
Relevant Experience: Ms Zhang Jing joined the board in June 2016, and has held investment and project management roles in public listed companies in China. She brings more than 15 years of international trading and business development experience to the board.
Ms Melissa Chapman
(Joint Company Secretary)
Technical Background: Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA), Bachelor of Commerce, AGIA/ACIS, GAICD
Relevant Experience: Over 17 years’ experience in the provision of accounting, finance and company secretarial services to public listed and private resource companies in Australia and the UK.
Ms Catherine Grant-Edwards
(Joint Company Secretary)
Technical Background: Chartered Accountant (ICAA), Bachelor of Commerce
Relevant Experience: Over 14 years’ experience in external audit and the provision of accounting, finance and company secretarial services to listed resource companies.
The board is supported by a strong management team:
Mr Niels Wage
(Chief Executive Officer)
Technical Background: Master’s Degree in Business Economics (MSc), INSEAD International Directors Programme Certificate in Corporate Governance (IDP-C), Vice President Marketing, Freight and Potash at BHP.
Relevant Experience: Responsible for all worldwide freight activities for BHP, the biggest diversified mining company in the world. Also responsible for marketing, sales and supply chain for the Jansen Potash Project. Sat on the Board for International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI) a recognised fertiliser industry body.
Mr Stuart Tarrant
(Chief Financial Officer)
Technical Background: Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
Relevant Experience: Extensive exposure in the mining industry with core skills in financial modelling, financial systems deployment, procurement, budgeting, and cost analysis and optimisation.
Mr Tony Harrington
(Project Director)
Technical Background: Mechanical Engineering and Project Management
Relevant Experience: Over 35 years’ experience managing the delivery of EPC, lump sum and EPCM projects across a diverse range of commodities, mineral processing units and jurisdictions including East Africa, West Africa, Southern Africa, China, Europe, UK and Australia.
Mr William Sandover
(Head of Corporate Development and External Affairs)
Technical Background: BComm Finance, BSc Applied Mathematics, MFin Investment Banking
Relevant Experience: 10 years of investment banking and corporate advisory experience at UBS, Macquarie and Vesparum. Will has extensive experience in the areas of corporate strategy, equity capital markets, advanced financial modelling and project valuation, mergers & acquisitions, and strategic partnerships.
Mr Zeray Leake
(Country Manager)
Technical Background: Geologist
Relevant Experience: Development and exploration of potash, gold, base metals and industrial minerals.
