Board Members

Sir Samuel Esson Jonah is a distinguished Ghanaian businessman and the current Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast. Jonah's career commenced in 1969 at the Obuasi gold mine. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Ashanti Goldfields Company Limited. Under his leadership, the company expanded from a single-mine operation into a multinational entity. In 1996, Ashanti became the first operating African company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Following a merger with AngloGold in 2004, he became the Executive President of AngloGold Ashanti Ltd, the world's second-largest gold producer at the time. He is the executive chairman of Jonah Capital, an equity fund based in Johannesburg, South Africa, with interests spanning mineral resources, real estate, agriculture, and oil and gas services.

James is an international executive and serial entrepreneur.

He has worked on many natural resources projects with African governments and is considered an expert in the African business landscape.

James emphasizes the importance of being a promoter and actively involved in African projects by identifying missed opportunities and de-risking them. He believes that a hands-on, flexible approach to researching and devising investment strategies is central to the firm's mission.

Gert Buelens is a seasoned legal expert with over 25 years of experience. He became a partner in 2001 and has led his firm since 2007.

A versatile practitioner, he has held key roles in the Mechelen Bar and the European Young Bar Association, building strong professional networks across Belgium and beyond.

Fassinè Fofana is an experienced executive and board member with a strong background in development finance, mining, and corporate strategy. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Board at African Lease Guinee S.A., a financial services company focused on providing leasing, factoring, and payment facilities to SMEs in West Africa. He is also the Executive Chairman of Bauxite Kimbo SA, overseeing the development of a large-scale bauxite and alumina project in Guinea, and the Chairman of Africa Green Energy Minerals Ltd, a company dedicated to harnessing Africa’s mineral resources for the green energy transition.

Previously, Fassinè held key leadership positions, including serving as Special Advisor to the Board of Bauxites de Kimbo SA for 16 years and as Special Advisor to the Chairman of the Winning Consortium Simandou, contributing to the development of one of the world’s largest iron ore deposits. He also led Africa-Geothermal Ltd as President & CEO, driving the development of the Longonot geothermal project in Kenya.

His career in government includes serving as Minister of Mining & Energy for Guinea (1994-2000). He has also worked with the African Development Bank as an Alternate Governor and held executive roles in corporate finance, including at Gasol Plc, Energy Equity Resources, and Cummins Inc.

Melissa So has over 20 years’ experience in investment and business advisory, having previously worked in Beijing and then in London for over 15 years in leading boutique advisory firms and then at two Canadian natural resources banks.

In each of her roles, she has played an integral part or been a founding partner in establishing an Asia business for the firm. She has been engaged on a variety of M&A transactions and financings, with a focus on structuring complex long-term strategic partnerships, investments and off-takes from and with Asian parties, principally in the mineral resources and new energy sectors.

Passionate about philanthropy, Melissa also sits on the board of a Hong Kong registered charity that is committed to making a positive impact in the global community through matching corporates and individuals with high impact nonprofit initiatives. She speaks English, Mandarin and Cantonese.

Kweku A. Awotwi is a global energy, mining and natural resources entrepreneur, senior executive, and proven business leader in both the public and private sectors, with expertise in board governance, strategic planning, audit, credit, and risk management.

He is recognized for growing, turning around, and transforming companies into industry champions and known for his open and inclusive style, and ability to communicate effectively to a broad range of stakeholders.

He is also an international keynote speaker and moderator and has conducted business in twenty countries on four continents.

Julie Gauthier is a Lawyer and Financial Advisor who has been specializing in corporate structuring, tax planning and investment banking for private clients and global Entrepreneurs for over 15 years.

Julie holds an MBA in Finance from IMD in Switzerland and an LLM in international tax law from NYU. She has extensive experience in the financial and legal sector having worked for and with the largest family offices worldwide.

She has extensive experience on the African market having worked in East and West Africa over the last 10 years.

Julie has advised on mining projects across the African continent as well as in Canada, the US and Latin America and has successfully raised capital and structured numerous investments into junior and medium size projects.

She currently acts as Director on multiple global resources investment structures for her international clients and is a member of their family board of Advisors.

David is a mining executive with over 30 years of international mining industry experience including executive operations leadership, management and project development for major multinational companies as well as junior.

David has significant experience and a proven track record in strategy formulation and execution, corporate governance and ESG integration with the development of different mineral commodities in multiple jurisdictions within Africa.

He is a non-executive director of Avanti Gold which is listed on the CSE and Kambale Graphite, a subsidiary of ASX-listed Castle Minerals. He is also a former member of the Investment Advisory Committee of Ghana’s sovereign mineral fund, the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF).