Directors & Management

Home I Company I Investments I Investors I News I Contact Us

Investing Policy

Directors & Management

Corporate Governance

Stephen R. Dattels (aged 64): Executive Co-Chairman

Mr. Dattels is a seasoned senior mining executive and is Executive Co-chairman of two companies listed on the AIM market of The London Stock Exchange, both of which are in the mining sector: Polo Resources Limited and West African Minerals Corporation, where he is also Chief Executive. In late 1982 he joined Barrick Gold Corporation and was one of the key executives during its formative years, where he was involved in the company’s growth from a capital base of US$10 million to a market capitalisation of over U$2 billion when he left in early 1987. Since leaving Barrick, Mr. Dattels has been a mining financier of numerous mining ventures in several continents in diverse commodities including gold, uranium, copper, iron ore and coal. In 2005 he founded UraMin Inc., which acquired and developed uranium assets in Africa. The Company was sold in August 2007 to Areva, the French Government-owned, fully integrated nuclear company for cash consideration of approximately US$2.5 billion. He is also an active investor in oil & gas exploration in Africa. Mr. Dattels is currently a Non-Executive Director of AIM listed GCM Resources plc and Non-Executive Co-Chairman of Hong Kong listed Regent Pacific Group. Mr. Dattels has a Bachelor of Arts degree from McGill University, a law degree (cum laude) from the University of Western Ontario and has completed the program for Management Development at Harvard University.

Neil L. Herbert (aged 45): Executive Co-Chairman

Mr. Herbert has worked in the management of mining and exploration companies in Africa, Asia and the Americas since 1998 when he joined Antofagasta plc having previously worked in finance with Price Waterhouse. Mr. Herbert is also Chairman of the uranium exploration company UrAmerica Limited and is a Non-Executive Director of MinFer Holdings Limited, Nimini Holdings Limited, Signet Petroleum Limited, ENK plc and Sunrise Resources plc. Finance Director of UraMin Inc from its formation in 2005, he took the company through listing on both AIM and TSX, raising over US$400 million and managed its sale for US$2.5 billion in 2007. Mr. Herbert has previously been executive director of a number of resource companies taking these through project acquisitions and disposals together with stock market listings and fund raisings and has been Non-Executive Director of a number of other companies. Notably he was Chief Financial Officer of gold explorer Brancote Holdings plc until its acquisition by Meridian Gold Inc in 2002 for US$368 million. Mr. Herbert is a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.

Ian Burns (aged 51): Finance Director

Mr. Burns is a fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment. He is the founder and Senior Executive Director of Via Executive Limited, a specialist management consulting company and the Managing Director of Regent Mercantile Holdings Limited, a privately owned investment company. For over twenty years Mr. Burns has specialised in corporate governance, risk management, accounting and administration for companies in a number of industry sectors and is currently a Non-Executive Director of Phaunos Timber Fund Limited, a US$700 million company listed on the London Stock Exchange, as well as several fund management companies engaged in the property, emerging markets and alternative energy sectors. He is licensed as a personal fiduciary by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission. Previously Mr. Burns was an Executive Director at Anson Fund Management Limited and, prior to that, Group Managing Director of Investec Trust. He is the former Chairman of the Guernsey Association of Trustees and a current member of the Society of Trust and Estate Planners Guernsey committee.

Guy Elliott (age 52): Senior Non-Executive Director

Mr. Elliott is a co-founder of F3 Capital Management, LLC, an independent alternative asset management firm specialising in early stage financings in the natural resources field. Prior thereto, Mr. Elliott was president and co-founder of Croesus Capital Management, a specialist emerging markets hedge fund from 1993 until 2001, President of Rothschild Emerging Markets and manager of the Rothschild Emerging Markets Natural Resources Fund. Mr. Elliott is Vice Chairman of AIM listed Top Level Domain Holdings. Past Directorships include Aurelian Oil & Gas an AIM listed E&P company and Direct Petroleum Exploration Inc, a private Denver based E&P company.

Bryan Smith (age 71): Non-Executive Director

Mr. Smith has more than 30 years of experience in the securities industry and is a recognised leader in the Canadian financial industry. Mr. Smith began his career in 1967 with Nesbitt Thomson. In 1973 he joined Draper Dobie Limited, holding subsequently senior roles, including Vice President and Director. Mr. Smith has also held the role of Senior Vice President of Gardner Watson Limited, now Dean Witter, and Senior Vice President and Director of Walwyn Stodgell Limited. Mr. Smith was a cofounder and former Director of Burgundy Asset Management. He was pivotal in the firm's growth to its position as top Canadian equity performer in 2000 and ranking in the number two position for the past five years. Burgundy has significant assets under management for clients that range from pension funds, charitable foundations, public and private corporations as well as wealthy private clients. Mr. Smith has been a Director of a number of public and private companies, including Northbridge Financial Corporation and Bioscrypt Inc.

James Mellon (age 54): Non-Executive Director

Mr. Mellon has been a fund and asset manager for nearly thirty years. He is an avid participant in a number of markets, in particular the stock markets of emerging nations. Mr. Mellon started his career with GT Management plc in 1978. In July 1984, he moved to the Thornton Group where he was Managing Director of the Asian operation. From 1988 to 1990, he was an Executive Director of Tyndall Holdings plc, responsible for business expansion and corporate development. Mr. Mellon is the founder, principal shareholder and co-Chairman of the Regent Pacific Group, quoted on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. He is also founder, principal shareholder and a Non-Executive Director of Charlemagne Capital and Non-Executive co-Chairman of West African Minerals Corporation, both listed on the AIM market.

Ian Stalker (age 60): Non-Executive Director

Mr. Stalker is a chemical engineer, with an outstanding history in developing and managing a number of mining projects in Europe, Africa and Australia over the past 35 years. He has worked his way up from operational roles in base and precious metals companies to senior project development and director positions with some of the largest mining companies in the world and has successfully managed eight mining projects throughout the world through feasibility study, development and construction phases. Mr. Stalker is Chief Executive Officer and Director of Brazilian Gold Corporation. He was CEO of Berkeley Resources Limited and was formerly Chief Executive Officer of Niger Uranium Limited from 2008 until April 2010. Prior to that, he was Chief Executive Officer of UraMin Inc. from late 2005 until it was acquired for US$2.5 billion in July 2007. He has worked in senior executive roles at Gold Fields Limited, Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Limited, Ashanti Goldfields Company Limited and Caledonia Mining Corporation. He has also been a senior metallurgical consultant for Lycopodium, the Australian-based engineering company.

c

Home
Disclaimer
Privacy
Site Map
B

© 2011 Polo Resources Limited. All rights reserved.