Don Carroll
Non-Executive Chairman
Don has an extensive career in the mining industry, primarily in marketing as a senior executive with BHP where he held a number of positions across a range of regions and businesses including: President BHP Japan (2001-04), President BHP India (2004-06), Group General Manager Marketing Asia (1989-97) based in Hong Kong, Marketing Director for Mt Newman Iron Ore Sales Perth (1987-89), Chief Development Officer for the Aluminium Group (London), Vice President Corporate Strategy and Vice President Investor Relations (2007-2009).
Prior to joining BHP he commenced his mining career with Rio Tinto Iron Ore working as a mining engineer at Tom Price mine and Dampier port. He then worked for Utah International, initially at the Blackwater coal mine in central Queensland and later based in Sydney and San Francisco with responsibility for new coal developments in the US and Asia, including the early exploration and development of coal operations in Indonesia.
Don currently works as an advisor and company director in the mineral resources industry. He is an advisor to EMR Capital, a director of Crystal Peak Minerals (TSX listed) and a director of Queensland Coal Investment Holdings (private Australian coal company).
He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Mining Engineering from Sydney University. He is a member of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Mark Kirkbride
Chief Executive Officer
Mark has 25 years’ experience in the mining and civil engineering industries, primarily in underground construction and operations with Trafalgar House, Cementation Mining, Kvaerner and Skanska Construction.
He has worked on a wide range of mine developments, operational mines, tunnelling and heavy civil engineering construction projects, from graduate engineer through to project director.
His mining expertise includes deep shaft sinking, hard and soft rock tunnel developments (including coal, salt, potash, gold, platinum, lead/zinc and copper) and production operations. Specialist engineering work has included tunnel boring machines, tunnel refurbishment, sprayed concrete linings, hydroelectric schemes and deep geological disposal investigations.
Mark has also held a series of leadership roles as a senior manager, director and CEO within a range of specialist businesses. These roles have incorporated strategic development, project financing, mergers/acquisitions and divestments.
He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Mining Engineering and a Master of Philosophy in Geomechanics, both from Camborne School of Mines. He is a Fellow of the UK Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and a Chartered Engineer.
Richard Crookes
Non-Executive Director
Richard is a highly regarded and a well-known resources industry and investment professional in Australia, with over 30 years’ experience in the resources and investments industry.
Richard is a geologist by background, and started his career in the resources sector before moving into finance, investing and funds management.
His previous roles include the Chief Geologist and Mining Manager of Ernest Henry Mining in Australia (now Glencore), Executive Director in the Metals & Energy Capital Division of Macquarie Bank, and he is currently an Investment Director of EMR Capital.
Richard has been deeply involved in all aspects of mining projects, from exploration and mineral resource development, mining operations, project finance and project management.
Richard Round
Non-Executive Director
Richard has a successful track record in senior finance and leadership roles in a range of quoted and private companies. Most recently Richard, as CEO, led the strategy and ultimate sale of the largest independent hydro-energy developer in the UK, Green Highland Renewables.
Richard now holds a portfolio of Non-Executive and advisory roles, including Chairman of Cyberhawk Innovations and Non-Executive Director at Anglo Asian Mining plc.
Previously, Richard was Acting Chief Executive at quoted Novera Energy plc where he led the sale of the landfill gas, wind and hydro group; prior to this he held a series of finance director roles in the coal, mining and energy sectors, and has specific knowledge and experience in the UK coal sector.
John Harrison
Non-Executive Director
John was founding Chairman of West Cumbria Mining and is also chairman of Australian Stock Exchange-listed Peninsula Energy Ltd, who commenced in-situ recovery uranium mining in December 2015 at their operations in Wyoming USA.
He is also a non-executive director of Newscape Capital Group Ltd, a diversified UK fund management and advisory group based in St James’s, London.
John has a wealth of broking and corporate finance experience from an initial twenty-five-year career in the insurance industry at Lloyd’s of London, followed by twenty years in investment banking, during which he advised base and precious metal mining and oil & gas companies, as well as related engineering and service businesses, in both an M&A and Equity Capital markets context. He acted for numerous companies quoted on the Main List and the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange, as well as the Australian, Johannesburg and Toronto Exchanges.
During his investment banking career, John was the Managing Director at Numis Securities in London in charge of resources sector Corporate Finance and subsequently UK Chairman of specialist Anglo-Australian resources advisory and broking business RFC Ambrian, where he acted on the original capitalisation of West Cumbria Mining.
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Today, members of the team spent the morning, with Jeremy Paxman, discussing the history of coal mining in the UK, its decline and potential revival through our Woodhouse Colliery project in Cumbria.