Directors of the Company
Mr Alasdair Cooke BSc(Hons), MAIG
Executive Chairman
Mr. Cooke has served as Chairman of the Board of the Company since its incorporation. Mr. Cooke is qualified as a geologist and has been involved throughout his career in mineral exploration and corporate development, including six years spent with BHP Minerals Business Development Group and over ten years managing public resource companies.
Mr. Cooke is a founding partner of the Mitchell River Group, which over the past eight years has established a number of successful resources companies, including ASX listed Sally Malay Mining Ltd (now known as Panoramic Resources Ltd), operating the Savannah and Lanfranchi nickel projects in Australia, AIM and ASX listed Albidon Ltd, ASX listed Mirabela Nickel Ltd (developing the Santa Rita nickel project in Brazil), ASX listed Exco Resources Ltd (developing copper and gold resources in Australia) and ASX listed Energy Ventures Ltd (developing uranium projects in Sweden). Mr Cooke is a former director of Sally Malay Mining Ltd and is currently an Executive Director of Energy Ventures Ltd, Oval Biofuels Ltd and Exco Resources Ltd.
Dr Frazer Tabeart PhD, BSc (Hons) ARSM, MAIG
Managing Director
Dr. Tabeart is a graduate of the Royal School of Mines with a PhD and Honours in Mining Geology. He has over twenty years experience in international exploration and mining projects, including sixteen years with WMC Resources. Whilst at WMC, Dr. Tabeart managed exploration portfolios in the Philippines, Mongolia and Africa, gaining considerable experience in a wide variety of commodities and operating with staff from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Dr. Tabeart joined the Mitchell River Group of companies in August 2005, initially as Head of Exploration for Albidon Ltd, and subsequently as General Manager for African Energy Resources Ltd. Under his stewardship the Company delineated the uranium resources in the Chirundu JV in southern Zambia and exploration discoveries in the Kariba Valley of Zambia and at Foley in Botswana. He was appointed Managing Director in November 2007 and has since led the Company through Prefeasibility Studies and into Bankable Feasibility Study at Chirundu.
Dr. Tabeart is a Director of the Mitchell River Group and a former Executive Director for Agricola Resources plc. He is also one of the founders of Norrland Resources Ltd which is evaluating a large portfolio of nickel exploration tenements in Sweden.
Mr Bill Fry
Executive Director
Mr Fry has more than 20 years corporate experience in the mining and resources industry, specialising in accounting, management, business development and general corporate activities. He has vast experience in project evaluation and development, project funding, management, finance and operations.
Over the past 14 years Mr. Fry has been a director of several private and public companies with activities ranging from funds management, minerals exploration, mining and quarrying, land development and waste management.
Mr. Fry has been an Executive Director of African Energy Resources since listing and is responsible for the Company's commercial and financial business programs. He is a current director of Energy Ventures Limited, Norrland Resources Limited, and Oval Biofuels Limited.
Mr Valentine Chitalu MPhil, BAcc, FCCA
Non-Executive Director
Mr. Chitalu, who is a Zambian national and resident, is a Chartered Certified Accountant, Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (UK) and holds a practicing certificate from the Zambia Institute of Certified Accountants. He also holds a Master's Degree in Economics, Finance and Politics of Development and a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting and Finance.
Mr. Chitalu has had both an international and local career over a period of fifteen years in the fields of private equity, privatisation, merchant banking, corporate finance, accounting, auditing, development economics, capital markets and business/private sector development in transitional economies. He has a significant interest in private sector development in southern Africa and is extensively networked in the region.
Mr. Chitalu has worked for Meridien Financial Services as Manager, Corporate Finance and the Zambia Privatisation Agency as Chief Executive Officer and most recently as Central African Director with CDC (formerly Commonwealth Development Corporation). He currently holds directorships in various private entities.
Mr. Chitalu has been a non-executive director of African Energy Resources since listing and has assisted African Energy through his extensive business and Government contacts in the region.
Mr Phil Clark
Non-Executive Director
Mr Clark is a mineral resource executive with 33 years global experience including; directorships, executive, technical and operational management aspects of the mineral resources industry. Mr Clark started his engineering career in 1977 at BHP Billiton’s Illawarra Coal business and has had numerous operational and planning roles in the Illawarra, Hunter Valley, Bowen Basin coalfields and Zimbabwe. In 2003 he became Vice President Health Safety Environment & Community for BHP Billiton Energy Coal operations with a focus on improving mine safety and environmental performance in developing countries. In 2005 Phil became Vice President Resource Development for BHP Billiton Energy Coal which includes target identification, acquisition and project development of new resource opportunities globally. In addition to Mr Clark’s role as a Non-Executive Director he is also currently overseeing the Company’s concept study on the Sese coal project in Botswana.
Mr Clark is currently a Director of the not-for profit organisation Engineers without Borders Australia and a Committee Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
Mr Michael Curnow
Non-Executive Director
Mr. Curnow brings extensive experience in the resources sector in gold, platinum and mineral sands exploration to the Company, which will be significant for the future development of African Energy. He has been involved in the ownership and management of a wide range of businesses in South Africa and Australia. He was a founding director of Gallery Gold Ltd and AGR Ltd. Mr Curnow has been a non-executive director of African Energy Resources since listing and is also a non-executive Director of Energy Ventures Ltd.