Board & Management
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Managing Director
Benjamin Cooper
Mr Cooper was appointed as the Managing Director of Global Nickel Investments on October 2008. Mr Cooper has extensive experience in the finance and mining industry over the past 10 years as a licensed investment manager and company director.
Mr Cooper is also the Executive Chairman of CMG Iron Ltd, Chairman of Esperanza Resources Pty Ltd and Principal of Corporate Advisory firm Cooper Capital and Investments Pty Ltd.
Executive Director Operations
Andrew Mortimer
Mr Mortimer has worked in the mining industry in the areas of project acquisition, corporate and technical management, capital raising and corporate advice. He is the Chairman of Proto Resources & Investments Limited, an exploration company that floated on the ASX in November 2006.
Mr Mortimer is also Chairman of Superstructure International Pty Ltd, an industry consultancy firm, and Chief Corporate Officer for the Mallee Gold Corporation. Mr Mortimer has experience in creating, structuring and preserving the necessary strategic alliances to build solid mining businesses with the potential for sustained growth.
Non Executive Chairperson
Lia Darby
Ms Darby has worked in international commercial litigation in shipping and international commodities trading and more recently in independent assessment of projects and companies in the mining sector. Her experience recently has specialised in the listing of mining securities, particularly on the Australian Stock Exchange. Ms Darby is also an executive director of Proto Resources & Investments Limited.
EXPLORATION MANAGEMENT
Ashley Keith Hood
Chief Operating Officer
Ashley Hood has more than ten years experience in the mining industry working in exploration and operations for junior and large miners including Anglo Gold Ashanti. Currently Chief Operations Officer with Proto Resources, Mr Hood has broad senior management experience, delivering exploration outcomes through all aspects of project management. Mr Hood's skills in people management, project planning and contractual negotiations are supported by experience in exploration activities from geochemical sampling, through to the delivery of geophysical programs on some of Australia's major exploration drilling projects. Past and current duties in the corporate sector include work on capital raisings, addressing stock broker/shareholder meetings, developing investor reports, and working on native title access acquisitions and major exploration contracts. Mr Hood is also a Director of Ridley Resources Limited, a WA gold and poly-metallic mineral exploration company, and Director and Head of Operations of Mt Vetters Pty Ltd. Mr Hood is currently doing his Masters of Business Degree at the University of Technology, Sydney.
SENIOR MANAGEMENT
Chief Financial Officer
Pierre Richard
Mr Richard has experience in investment banking, structured finance and corporate law. In particular, Mr Richard has experience in infrastructure finance, with a focus on infrastructure development and funding models. He has taught strategic management and business economics at the Australian School of Business, where he was also involved in a number of administrative roles. Mr Richard�s work on business management has been quoted in the business press in Australia and internationally. Mr Richard holds a BCom (Finance) and LLB from the University of New South Wales and has recently completed for submission a PhD at the Australian Graduate School of Management.
As Chief Financial Officer, Mr Richard will focus on the organisation and internal management of Global Nickel. He will also assist the Managing Director with financial analysis and advise the Board on the financial and economic attractiveness of development projects.
Company Secretary
Kent Hunter
Mr Hunter is a Chartered Accountant with over 17 years corporate and company secretarial experience. He has been involved in the listing of more than 25 junior gold and base metal exploration companies on ASX in the past five years with capital raisings exceeding $100 million.
He has experience in capital raisings, ASX compliance and regulatory requirements and is currently an executive director of Red Emperor Resources NL and Coastal Minerals Limited, non-executive director of Cazaly Resources Limited, Gryphon Minerals Limited, Scimitar Resources Limited and Elixir Petroleum Limited and is company secretary of one other ASX Listed entity.