BA, B.Proc., LLB

Bongani is a lawyer with more than 20 years experience in retail. He is currently the director of Petregaz (Pty) Ltd a company that aggregates large volumes of liquefied petroleum gas.

A very dynamic entrepreneur , he holds various directorships in established companies in South Africa, and is a well-respected member of the business community. Bongani is also a member of the Young Presidents Organization, Cape Town Chapter.

Instrumental in the formation of Umsimbithi Mining, from prospecting, right through to the Bankable Feasibility Study (BFS), Bongani also took an active role in the establishment of Wonderfontein Coal. Bongani is also a founder and the largest independent shareholder of Burgan Cape terminals.

B.A. (Econ) Hons, F.C.I.B

Richard holds a reservoir of experience as a business leader and banker. He was a Cabinet Government Minister for 10 years in Uganda, and had a two-year stint on the Board of the World Bank Group. He holds a passion and keen interest in promoting private sector investments, especially in the mineral, oil and gas sectors and promotes over-all economic development in the African region.

He graduated with an Upper Second Honours Degree in Economics from the University of East Africa at Markerere, Uganda, after which he went on to receive Graduate management training with Barclays Bank International. In 1972, he completed his professional examinations to become an associate of the chartered institute of Bankers (A.C.I.B-London, UK).

BBusSci(Hons), BCom(Hons), CA(SA), CFA

With more than 12 years experience in corporate finance and private equity, Warren has had first-hand experience in numerous transactions and assignments across a range of sectors including mining, oil and gas, agriculture and investment management industries.

He worked in London for Grant Thornton UK LLP as an Associate Director in Corporate Finance specializing in transaction advisory services which included due diligence assignments, AIM listings and transaction support.

In South Africa he worked for three years in private equity before successfully completing an MBO and the subsequent establishment of a refined petroleum storage terminal in the Port of Cape Town.

Warren is a Director of Modus Advisory (Pty) Ltd, a corporate finance boutique which specializes in corporate mergers and acquisitions. Warren is also a qualified chartered accountant and a CFA charterholder.

BE(Chem), FAusIMM

Mr Harrison is a mining executive with over 20 years’ experience and an extensive and successful track record specialising in the fields of both mineral processing and hydrometallurgy across multiple commodities. This experience ranges across the full spectrum of project development from greenfield exploration, process development, through studies and engineering, to commissioning and operations.

Mr Harrison was appointed Managing Director of Ionic Rare Earths in December 2020, and has been driving both the development of the Makuutu Rare Earth Project and the downstream supply chain integration through refining the acquisition of magnet recycling business, Ionic Technologies in the UK.

Mr Harrison holds a Bachelor’s degree of Chemical Engineering from Adelaide University with significant battery and technology metals experience across Australia, Asia and Africa. Mr Harrison is a Fellow of the Australian Institute for Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM).

B.Eng (Mechanical), M.Com, PhD, Pr.Eng

Dr van der Walt has a proven track-record in mining project development and has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills and a deep understanding of project delivery in Africa. Focusing on mine optimisations without compromising standards or safety, he has had oversight of billion-dollar budgets and has lead large scale workforces, being charged with the responsibility of numerous direct and up to 3,500 indirect reports.
His key focus is to oversee all aspects of the Makuutu Rare Earths Project, which will include further growth strategies for the mine.

Before joining Ionic Rare Earths, Dr van der Walt was General Manager of Projects and Studies Africa with specialist resources private equity group EMR Capital, where he was leading the Lubambe Copper Project in Zambia. Prior to that he was with Newmont as Regional Project Director for Africa where he delivered the US$2 billion Ahafo mega-project in Ghana.

Dr van der Walt has a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pretoria, a Master’s Degree in Business Management from the University of Cape Town and a PhD in Business Administration from the Potchefstroom Business School, University of North West, South Africa.