DIRECTORS & MANAGEMENT  |  CORPORATE DIRECTORY  |  CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Directors & Management


GREG ENGLISH

Non-Executive Chairman
BEng (Hons), LLB

Greg English is co-founder and Chairman of Core Lithium and has led the company from its inception to an ASX200 mining company developing the Finniss Lithium Project.   

Greg holds a bachelor’s degree in mining engineering, law degree (LLB) and first class mine manager's ticket. He has more than 30 years of mining, engineering and legal experience and has held several senior operations, management and board advisory roles for Australian and multinational natural resource companies. Greg is an experienced company director and has served on the boards of several ASX-listed companies. He is also the founder and Chairman of Archer Materials, a company building complex quantum computing processors and lab-on-chip biosensors. 


Gareth Manderson

Chief Executive Officer  
BEng, GradDip (Mgt), MBA, GAICD  

Gareth enjoys working with people to develop high-performing teams and has deep experience leading mining and processing businesses, and delivering projects. He brings nearly 30 years’ experience in the mining industry, including a 22-year tenure at Rio Tinto. Cultivating productive relationships with indigenous people, Government and regional stakeholders are key components of his approach to business leadership.  

As General Manager Sustaining Capital, Rio Tinto Iron Ore, Gareth built a team and capability to deliver a large portfolio of sustaining capital, improvement and technology deployment projects across Rio Tinto’s Pilbara operations in Western Australia. 

Prior to this, Gareth held a series of senior business and operational leadership roles within Rio Tinto’s Aluminium Product Group. This included the Aluminium smelting and hydro power business based in Kitimat, British Columbia Canada, and the Weipa Bauxite Operations in Far North Queensland, Australia. He also holds Northern Territory mining experience, serving as Mine Manager and Processing Plant Manager and acting General Manager during his tenure with Energy Resources Australia. He has also held global strategy development and business support roles. 

 

HEATH HELLEWELL

Non-Executive Director  
BSc (Hons) MAIG 

Heath is an exploration geologist with 30 years’ experience in mineral exploration, predominantly in Australia and West Africa. 

Heath previously held senior exploration positions with several successful mining and exploration groups including DeBeers Australia and Resolute Mining. Heath joined Independence Group in 2000 prior to the Company’s IPO and was part of the team that identified and acquired the Tropicana project area, eventually leading to the discovery of the Tropicana and Havana gold deposits. 

Heath was the co-founding Executive Director of Doray Minerals where he was responsible for the Company’s exploration and new business activities. Following the discovery of the Andy Well gold deposits, Doray Minerals was named “Gold Explorer of the Year” in 2011 by The Gold Mining Journal and in 2014 Heath was the co-winner of the prestigious “Prospector of the Year” award, presented by the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies. 

Heath was also instrumental the creation of Capricorn Metals Limited, following the private acquisition of the Karlawinda gold project in 2015. 


Malcolm McComas

Non-Executive Director  
BEc, LLB, SF Fin, FAICD 

Malcolm has more than 30 years’ experience as a company director and a proven track record for developing the capabilities skillsets of growth companies within the energy and resources sector at both management and board levels. 

Malcom previously held leadership roles as an investment banker with global organisations including County NatWest (now Citi Group) and Grant Samuel. He specialised in mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity funding and privatisations across multiple industry sectors including resources, FMCG, healthcare, industrial and financial services. As a lawyer with Herbert Greer, Malcolm specialised in tax and company law. 

Malcolm is currently chairman of Pharmaxis Limited and Fitzroy River Corporation Limited, and a non-executive director of Actinogen Medical Limited. Recently Malcolm was a director of BC Iron and Consolidated Minerals. 


Andrea Hall

Non-Executive Director
BComm, MAppFin, FCA, GAICD

Andrea’s carrer in the finance industry spans more than more than 35 years, including seven years as a Risk Consulting Partner at KPMG. She is also a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (FCA). She currently sits on the boards of ASX listed, Evolution Mining Limited (EVN) and mining services firm Perenti Group Ltd (PRN). Further, she sits on board of the AFL Fremantle Dockers and the Insurance Commission of Western Australia. She has previously held directorships at Automotive Holdings Group (AHG), the Western Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Lotterywest, Murdoch University, Pioneer Credit and Tap Oil.


JAREK KOPIAS

Company Secretary  
BCom, CPA, AGIA, ACIS 

Jarek is a governance professional who has worked extensively in the resources sector in various corporate and mine site roles. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree, is a Chartered Secretary and a member of the Institute of Certified Practising Accountants in Australia. 


DOUG WARDEN

Chief Financial Officer
BCom, CA and MBA (Exec)

Doug Warden brings 30 years’ experience leading the finance, strategy and business development functions in ASX-listed mining companies. Doug has held a number of senior financial, commercial and leadership roles, in the resources, agriculture and professional services sectors. 

Prior to Core Lithium, Doug was CFO at Resolute Mining Ltd and Iluka Resources Ltd where he gained extensive experience in West Africa and the US, as well as being responsible for exploration projects in Brazil and Sri Lanka. 


Mike Stone  

Chief Operating Officer 
BSc Geo GradDipBus

Mike is a seasoned senior operational leader and mining professional with more than 22 years’ experience across multiple positions and commodities in the resources industry. Mike has operated and worked in large and small open pit and underground environments. He has experience working in Northern Australia and brings strong safety, environment, community, and mining expertise. Mike previously held the positions of General Manager of the Rio Tinto Oyu Tolgoi Open Pit operation, Associate Director of Mining with KPMG and Chief Advisor for Mining Productivity with Rio Tinto.  


Sam Rees 

Executive General Manager, People & Culture 
BA. (Pol.Sc), BSc Psych (Hons), MPsych (Org) 

Sam is an experienced practitioner in Human Resources and organisational effectiveness, and is also a registered psychologist. Across her 25-year career, she has worked in many countries, with  different types of companies of varying sizes and industries including mining, manufacturing, health and not-for-profits to design and implement the right people and organisational practices. Sam is a specialist in leading HR teams and Organisational Transformation programs, she worked most recently as a consultant on organisational design and change initiatives. 


Melissa Winks 

Executive General Manager, Sustainability 
BSN, PostGradDip (OHS), PostGradDip (Ergonomics) 

Melissa brings more than 20 years’ experience working across sustainability functions including ESG, Health, Safety and Environment (HSE), Communities, Indigenous Engagement and Approvals.  

Melissa has worked in Canada and various locations across Australia, including more than five years in the Northern Territory as a HSE Business Partner. In addition to her extensive experience in HSE and Sustainability, Mel has established, respectful and productive relationships with the Northern Territory Government and key local stakeholders. 

Melissa is Core Lithium’s inaugural Sustainability Executive, representing Core’s commitment to sustainable practices across all aspects of its operations. 


Pierre Malan

Executive General Manager, Development & Exploration
BE (Min), ME

Pierre is a well-credentialed mining executive with more than 30 years’ experience leading operations and developing complex projects from exploration through to mining and operating in Australia and abroad.

Pierre has a strong track record in successfully leading and building high performing and diverse teams. He brings strategic leadership, commercial focus and change management capability aimed at optimising operating performance and developing effective company culture. Pierre’s focus is on Core’s exploration portfolio potential and define the best strategy for developing the Company’s assets.


Paul Benjamin

Executive General Manager, Commercial & Marketing

Mr Benjamin brings more than 25 years’ experience and a demonstrated track record developing and managing commercial and strategic relationships in major global markets and within the rechargeable battery materials industry.

Paul has worked across production, research and development, marketing and business development for mining companies in Australia, Asia and Europe. Along with extensive experience in managing commercial and strategic relationships in all major global markets, Paul has spent a significant portion of his career deeply involved with the development of partnerships and unique supply chain solutions within the rechargeable battery materials industry. 


Alicia Sherwood  

General Manager, Operations
BA (MComRel) 

Alicia brings more than 20 years’ experience working in both the resources industry and Government, specialising in community engagement, compliance, stakeholder relationship management, media and communications.  

Based in Darwin, Alicia understands the social, economic, and regulatory framework where the Finniss Lithium Project is located, and brings a wealth of expertise and knowledge in this important area of the business.