Experienced Leadership
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Board
Mr Quinert is a founding partner of Quinert Rodda & Associates which was established in July 2009. He has over 30-years’ experience as a commercial and corporate lawyer, including three years with ASX and over 20 years as a partner in a Melbourne law firm.
Mr Quinert has extensive experience assisting and advising companies on IPOs, capital raising, cross border transactions, regulatory compliance and has regularly advised publicly listed mining companies.
Michael is a Non-Executive Director of publicly listed First Au Limited (ASX:FAU) and Victorian Livestock Exchange Pty Ltd.
Mr van Heerden holds an MBA and Bachelor of Engineering (Mining) and has over 20 years of mining experience. He is based in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Prior to joining West Wits, Mr van Heerden presided over a Cobalt (5,000t pa) and Copper (50,000t pa) operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), overseeing the mining operation and two processing facilities, also including a medical centre and schooling program. A key achievement associated with the DRC role was the introduction of stricter capital controls, improved CAPEX and OPEX budget forecasting, KPI measurement and enhanced direct reporting lines to improve accountability and cash flow.
Relevant to current project requirements, Jac’s division at South African miner Aquarius Platinum was tasked with identifying and developing business cases for new mining opportunities through to feasibility. He was also the transition project manager that oversaw the switch from a contractor mining model to an owner miner model.
Mr O’Malley worked at Credit Suisse for 13 years and later, while based in Hong Kong, managed Deutsche Bank’s Natural Resources investment banking practice in Asia-Pacific for many years. Currently, he is Managing Partner of investment firm Kenosis Capital LLC, and has advised West Wits since early 2019.
Peter has extensive experience advising companies and investors alike including M&A, debt/equity transactions, as well as capital optimisation strategies in multiple jurisdictions having resided in New York, Johannesburg and Hong Kong. Peter moved to Johannesburg in 1994 to assist with the first elections in South Africa post-apartheid. He spent over three years working in Johannesburg in the 1990s, which provided him with a deeper understanding of South Africa’s operational environment where West Wits’ marquee project is located.
Warwick Grigor is based in Sydney and is a graduate of the Australian National University, having completed degrees in law and economics. After a short period with Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd, he embarked upon a career as a mining analyst and an investment banker specialising in the mining sector. He established Far East Capital Limited as a 50:50 partner with Andrew Forrest in 1991. Mr Grigor was subsequently the founding Executive Chairman of Canaccord Genuity Australia in 2008. He retired from Canaccord in 2014, returning to Far East Capital, which now operates as an AFSL accredited private investment bank offering independent research, corporate advice and capital raising services.
As a highly respected and experienced mining analyst, Warwick’s extensive experience and network is an asset as West Wits advances uranium exploration and executes the development strategy of the 4.28Moz Gold Witwatersrand Basin Project.
Mr Scholes is a founding director of Malan Scholes Inc., a Johannesburg based law firm and leader in the African mining sector. He was admitted as an attorney in 1995. His area of expertise is in mining and environmental law, as well as dispute resolution, having represented Tier 1 mining companies including Sibanye Stillwater Ltd. and DRDGold Ltd.
Mr Scholes has in-depth knowledge of mineral rights and BEE transactions in this industry. He sits on as non-executive director on the boards of various mining companies and has a practical understanding of the industry, having begun his career as a Learner Official on the then Rand Mines Ltd. Harmony Gold Mine.
Hulme is recognised by Best Lawyers® (2020) for his expertise in mining law.
Management
Mr Whyte is a Chartered Accountant and Associate Member of the Governance Institute of Australia with over 15 years of experience in finance and operational roles in the mining, commodities and logistic industries which includes BP Australia and Ernst & Young prior to joining West Wits in 2018.
Having worked across multiple business functions, Simon has expertise in managing business transformation and integration projects which positions him well to facilitate West Wits’ rapid transition from exploration to production.
Ms Kulati Siwisa has a BCom with MBA and broad experience in leading transformation projects from development through to execution. She has more than 15 years’ experience in stakeholder and government relations, as well as regulatory affairs.
Prior to joining West Wits, Tozama was head of a stakeholder relations portfolio at Lonmin. Her appointment as Head of Corporate Affairs of West Wits during 2021 was a critical step in obtaining the Witwatersrand Basin Project’s Mining Right.
Mr Bevenlander holds a BSc. Hon. (Geology) degree with mining experience across the mining cycle from greenfield exploration, and project development to production. His expertise includes Gold and base metal exploration, as well as the business development of mining projects. His 35-year industry mineral resources involvement stretches from grassroots exploration project design, implementation and management of exploration projects through to mine operations and executive-level reporting and management.
Martin has an international experience record having worked in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Australia, and throughout Africa.
Mr Deysel holds degrees in B.Sc (Geophysics) and B.Eng (Mining) and has obtained his MBA.
He has extensive production experience in conventional narrow tabular underground, as well as open cast, mining various commodities including Gold, PGMs, Copper and Cobalt. Mr Deysel project managed several brown- and greenfield mining projects in South Africa, the DRC and Ghana, which led to extensive experience in mine development, including scoping-, pre-feasibility, feasibility, development and execution.
Before joining West Wits, Rudi was part of line management at Anglo American, after which he joined Murray-and-Roberts Cementation with the main focus on underground mine infrastructure, construction and contracting. Through ERG Africa, his technical input established strong management operating systems at its various operations in Africa. At Asanko Gold, he was part of a senior management team that facilitated strong technical and financial principles at their Ghanian operation.