The Board of Directors have a broad range of experience and a notable 25-year track record of successfully delivering results
Mr Higgins graduated in 1972 from the University of New South Wales (Sydney campus), majoring in geology. His international experience in the mineral resources sector has included 20 years with Shell/Billiton Group companies at senior executive levels. This included work in all facets of base and precious metals exploration and business development worldwide, and involvement in two major, multi-million-ounce gold discoveries from grassroots stage. Mr Higgins went on to set up several junior exploration and development companies, two of which listed via RTO on the ASX and TSX-V. He is a founding director of IGL.
Mark joins Panthera from his role as CFO of an AIM-listed oil and gas producer where he has played a key role in resolving a number of complex legacy issues including a long standing dispute with its joint venture partner, an Indian state-owned company. Prior to that role, Mark held executive roles at La Mancha Australia and First Quantum Minerals Ltd where he aided in the management and financing of several new project development opportunities, including in many challenging jurisdictions. Mark commenced his career at Ernst & Young, stepping down as a Director in Ernst & Young’s Corporate Finance business.
Mark has considerable experience in the development and financing of new minerals projects, particularly in emerging economies. He has held senior executive roles in many companies listed on the AIM, ASX, LSE and TSX.
Mr Hargreaves has over 40 years’ experience in technical and managerial roles in the petroleum and minerals sectors in Asia and the Middle East for major companies including BHP, Union Texas Petroleum and Fletcher Challenge Petroleum as well as start-ups and independents. He has led successful exploration and commercialisation campaigns in Pakistan and Egypt which were dependent upon technical and commercial innovation in complex regulatory environments. Since 2009 he has been Research Director of Resources for Republic Investment Management, a Singapore based investment fund. He is a current director of Elk Petroleum Limited and a former Director of Skyland Petroleum Limited and The Environmental Group Limited.
Mr Stein is an investment manager specializing in the metals and mining sector and currently leads his own investment firm, Aerecura Capital, and acts as the Portfolio Manager for Ore Acquisition Partners LP, a shareholder of Panthera Resources PLC. Previously, Mr Stein was President and CEO of Aberdeen International, a mining-focus investment company, and prior to 2010 was a partner at Cormark Securities, where he was a gold and precious metals research analyst, director and member of the executive committee. Mr Stein holds a Master of Science degree in Economic Geology and Bachelor of Applied Science in Geological Engineering from Queen’s University, and is a CFA charter holder.
Ms Apthorpe is a solicitor and company secretary with over 14 years’ post-qualified experience and over 8 years in-house experience in the mining sector across a number of jurisdictions. She has extensive experience in fundraisings, due diligence exercises, acquisitions, strategic investments, project management and debt financing, in addition to the routine day to day commercial challenges faced in-house and as a company secretary. She was nominated and selected for the Top 100 Global Inspiration Women in Mining 2016.
Anthony Samaha is a Chartered Accountant who has over 25 years’ experience in accounting and corporate finance, including resources development. Anthony worked for over 10 years with international accounting firms, including Ernst & Young, principally in corporate finance, gaining significant experience in valuations, IPOs, independent expert reports, and mergers and acquisitions. He has extensive experience in the listing and management of AIM and TSX quoted companies, including fund raisings, project development and mergers and acquisitions.
Anthony has been involved in acquisitions and resource projects in various regions of the world, including Australia, South Africa, West Africa, North America, Kazakhstan and the People’s Republic of China. He holds Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Economics degrees from the University of Western Australia, and is a Fellow of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and an Associate of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia.