Directors

Lazaros Nikeas | B.A. Principal Investment Manager

Executive Chairman

  • 15+ years of strategy and capital markets advisory for resource, chemicals and industrial companies, with over US$25 B of M&A transactions completed.
  • Currently a Principal Investment Manager of Weston Energy LLC, a Yorktown Partners LLC portfolio company with investments in energy minerals assets.
  • Previously a partner of Traxys Capital Partners, a private equity firm backed by The Carlyle Group.

Dr. Stephen Dunmead | PhD, MS, BS

Non-Executive Director

  • 30+ years of strong operational leadership experience in the advanced materials and specialty chemical industries.
  • Former COO of NYSE-listed SWM International - Led Cobalt Division and also held several senior roles with NYSE-listed OM Group where he led their cobalt business for more than 10 years.
  • 7 years as Chair of the Cobalt Development Institute.

John Kiernan | P.Eng., B.Sc., MBA B.Sc. (Hon) Mining Engineering

Non-Executive Director

  • 30+ years of mine operating, engineering, consulting, corporate and finance experience.
  • Currently COO of Ascot Resources Ltd.
  • Previously, Manager Project Evaluation for Quadra FNX/KGHM International, as well as a Mining Analyst at PI Financial Corporation.

Martin Kostuik | B.Sc. Mining Engineering, MBA

CEO & Director

  • 28+ years of diversified experience in the mining industry as a mining engineer and senior executive.
  • Mr. Kostuik was President and Director for the last 4 years at Arizona Gold Corporation and prior to that was CEO and Director of Rupert Resources Limited.
  • Previously Mr. Kostuik built a broad base of experience in operations, engineering, exploration, and capital projects with various companies including Luna Gold (Equinox), Barrick Gold Corporation, Taseko Mines Limited and DMC Mining Services.

Joseph Tuso

Non-Executive Director

  • 20+ years as a lawyer and currently a partner at Reed Smith LLP, one of the world's largest law firms. His practice focuses on both the origination and resolutions of complex investments and other special situation transactions, including the diligence, structuring, risk management, and resolution process of portfolio investments. 
  • Prior to re-joining Reed Smith, spent eight years at a New York City based S.E.C registered investment adviser focusing on asset oriented and special situation credit transactions, with assets under management of approximately US$1.8 billion dollars. 
  • Has also held numerous C-Suite roles during his tenure, including Chief Operating Officer, General Counsel, Head of Asset Management, and Chief Compliance Officer.

Julia B. Aspillaga Rodriguez

Non-Executive Director

  • Presently, Managing Partner of Andeak Global Management, providing mining exploration services to several international companies. 
  • Has worked as an executive and partner of mining companies in multiple Latin American countries. Participated in the discovery and development of the San Cristobal gold mine, in Chile and was manager of Bema Gold in Chile that developed the Refugio gold mine and was later acquired by Kinross Gold Corp.
  • Since the year 2000, she has participated as manager and/or management advisor for various international companies, including Mineral Resource Development (United Kingdom), Yorkton Securities (Canada), Endeavour Financial (Canada), Galileo Minerals (Canada), and Global Hunter Corp (Canada).