Who We Are

DARREN TOWNSEND
Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer

Darren is a Mining Engineer with 30+ years development, mining and corporate experience including managing ASX and TSXV listed companies. His experience includes developing and operating tantalum mines in Australia (Wodgina) and Mozambique and overseeing the financing and completion of a bankable feasibility study for a rare earth asset in East Africa.

JURGEN GNOINSKI
Chief Technical Officer

Jurgen is a metallurgist with over 20 years of experience in process development, from concept through to implementation. He has worked on multiple commodities, including materials related to battery production, such as cobalt, nickel, and graphite.

Jurgen has held senior roles in Southern Africa, Madagascar, and Australia, including at Anglo American Plc, where he ultimately served as Head of Technology Development and Governance in South Africa. He holds an MSc, an MBA, and a Master’s in Intellectual Property.

CHRIS KELSALL
Chief Financial Officer

Chris is a senior finance executive with over 30 years’ international experience across the banking, clean energy, oil and gas, and resources sectors. Key accountabilities have included: corporate finance; business development; business transformation; strategy; risk management; financial forecasting and reporting; and, stakeholder relations.

At Deutsche Bank and ABN AMRO Rothschild, Chris delivered multiple equity financing solutions in Asia, the UK/EMEA and Australia. As COO Europe for Global Banking at HSBC, Chris led the delivery of transformation programs and risk management. More recently, as CEO and CFO at Tokamak Energy, he led the development, financing and partnership strategies. Chris commenced his career as a corporate/commercial solicitor at Parker & Parker (now Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer) in Perth and subsequently at Allens, in Sydney.

Chris holds degrees in law and economics from the University of Western Australia and a Masters in Finance from London Business School.

GIULIANO GIORDANI
Chief Accounting Officer & Joint Company Secretary

Giuliano is a chartered accountant with extensive experience within the resources sector. Before joining Neometals in April 2016, Giuliano commenced his career with BDO’s Audit Division for six years and has since held roles within listed and non-listed mining operating companies.

Over his time at Neometals, Giuliano has made a significant contribution through his financial expertise including leading the company’s financial and management reporting team through significant periods of growth, company secretarial and compliance obligations, business partnering, organisational restructuring as well as managing company tax planning, capital management and strategy development.

Giuliano holds a Bachelor of Finance and Accounting, is a Chartered Accountant and holds a Graduate Diploma with the Governance Institute of Australia.

LES GUTHRIE
Independent Non-Executive Director

Les Guthrie B.Sc (Engineering and Marketing) brings 46+ years of experience to Neometals including senior global roles within corporate and project management and capital program development. He was VP Projects for BHP Billiton, Head of Projects and President LNG for BG Group, President of Aker Kvaerner Inc. and he was also the MD of Kvaerner Australia. Les was one of the founding members to the John Grill Centre for Project Leadership.

MARK BOYNE
General Counsel & Joint Company Secretary

Mark is a senior in-house lawyer with extensive experience managing complex matters of corporate, commercial and operational significance in the energy and resources sector. Before joining Neometals in June 2022, Mark was Corporate Counsel, Pilbara Operations at Rio Tinto prior to which he worked in private practice at leading international law firms Jones Day and Norton Rose Fulbright in Australia and Canada.

Mark holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Notre Dame Australia, a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice from the College of Law and is admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Western Australia and the High Court of Australia.

CHRISTOPHER REED
Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer

Chris started in the mining industry in 1990 and co-founded Reed Resources in 2001. Chris holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Notre Dame and a Graduate Certificate in Mineral Economics from WA School of Mines. He is a Member of the AusIMM and immediate past Vice-President of the Association of Mining & Exploration Companies.

STEVEN COLE
Independent Chairman

Steven has over 40 years of professional, corporate and business experience through senior legal consultancy, as well as a range of executive management and non-executive appointments. His extensive boardroom and board sub-committee experience includes ASX listed, statutory, proprietary and NFP organisations covering the industrial, financial, educational, professional services, property, local government, agribusiness, health and resources sectors.