Alex Dorsch
MANAGING DIRECTOR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Qualifications: B.Eng (Hons), B.Fin
Alex has lead Chalice through an exceptional and transformational growth period following the Gonneville discovery. Alex was recognised as the ‘Emerging Leader of the Year’ by MiningNews and ‘CEO of the Year’ by Kitco in 2020. He also received the Young Mining Professionals ‘Peter Munk Award’ in 2022. Alex has diverse experience in leadership in roles across the resources sector, as a management consultant, engineer, project manager and corporate advisor. Prior roles included a Specialist Consultant with McKinsey & Company. He commenced his engineering career with resources giant BHP, and then spent over six years as an engineer in oil and gas exploration. He is currently a Non-Executive Director for Falcon Metals Limited (ASX:FAL).
Chris MacKinnon
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Qualifications: CPA, LLB, GradDipAppFin
Chris is a qualified accountant and lawyer with over 15 years of professional and corporate experience in the energy and resources industry. Chris has previously worked in corporate finance and legal roles in Carnarvon Petroleum and Australis Oil and Gas. Prior to that, he was an Associate Director at boutique investment bank, Miro Advisors, and was in legal private practice in a major national law firm.
Chris is a Certified Practising Accountant who holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Western Australia and a Diploma of Applied Finance from KAPLAN. Chris joined Chalice in July 2020, and previously held the role of Business Development and Legal Manager until March 2023.
Mike Nelson
GENERAL MANAGER – PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
Qualifications: B.Sc (Hons), MAppFin, GradDipMgt
Mike is a highly experience mining executive and project director, with over 30 years’ experience in operational and project leadership. He has played pivotal roles in major projects, including Reko Diq, a copper-gold project operated by Barrick Gold Corporation and Quebrada Blanca Phase II, a copper project operated by Teck Resources. His metallurgy, engineering and project management expertise in large-scale precious and base metals operations and his proven ability to deliver significant projects make him uniquely qualifies to lead the Gonneville Project.
Mike holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) from the University of Western Australia, Master of Applied Finance from KAPLAN and Post Graduate Diploma in Management from Deakin University. Mike joined Chalice in February 2023.
Ben Goldbloom
GENERAL MANAGER – CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT
Qualifications: B.Com, B.Eng (Hons)
Ben is an experienced investor relations and business development executive with over 15 years of experience in the mining industry, across operations, commercial management and corporate development functions.
Ben was previously the Head of Investor Relations at Regis Resources. Prior to that he performed several key roles in the $16 billion merger of Saracen Mineral Holdings and Northern Star Resources, Saracen’s $1 billion acquisition of 50% of the ‘Super Pit’ and held diverse commercial and technical management positions at Newcrest Mining.
Ben holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) and Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours) from Monash University.
Soo Carney
GENERAL MANAGER – ENVIRONMENT AND COMMUNITY
Qualifications: B.NatRes (Hons) PhD
Soo has over 20 years’ experience specialising in environmental, health and safety, Aboriginal engagement, government relations and community investment, and is a proven industry leader. Soo previously held the role of Regional Environment Manager at Alcoa, where she oversaw environmental standards and risk management across operations nationally and contributed to the Company’s global environment and sustainability strategies as part of the corporate environment leadership group. During her career Soo has held senior leadership roles at BHP’s iron ore operations and Woodside Energy’s LNG projects, including the $15B Pluto LNG Project. Soo holds a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and a Bachelor of Natural Resources with Honours, achieves under a full Research Council of Australia scholarship. Soo joined Chalice in 2021.
David Freeman
EXPLORATION MANAGER
Qualifications: B.Sc (Geo), M.Econ.Geol (CODES), MAIG
David is an exploration geologist with nearly 20 years’ experience in a broad range of commodities and geological terranes, having held senior roles in both junior explorers and large mining groups, both within Australia and internationally. His expertise in economic geology covers early-stage and regional exploration, prospectively studies, project assessments, near mine-development and feasibility studies.
Prior to joining Chalice, David held the role of Exploration Manager with highly regarded explorer Sipa Resources, as well as senior and staff roles with a number of ASX-listed junior, mid-tier and major mining and exploration companies, including Fortescue, AREVA and AngloGold Ashanti Australia Ltd. David joined Chalice in 2023 where he formerly held the role of Lead Geologist for the Gonneville Development Project.
Jamie Armes
COMPANY SECRETARY
Qualifications: B.Bus, CA
Jamie joined Chalice as Company Secretary in August 2019. For the past 30 years he has held finance and Company Secretary roles in various ASX-listed companies, primarily within the mining and exploration industry providing corporate governance and financial report advice. Jamie is a Chartered Accountant and graduated from the University of Tasmania with a Bachelor of Business in 1993.
Leanne Stevens
FINANCE MANAGER
Qualifications: B.Com, AGIA ACIS
Leanne is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Secretary who has over 20 years of accounting and governance experience within the mining and energy industries. Leanne was formerly Company Secretary for Chalice and Liontown Resources Ltd.
Leanne joined Chalice as Finance Manager in April 2010 and was appointed Company Secretary from 2012 to 2019.
Ian Ritchie
METALLURGY MANAGER – GONNEVILLE PROJECT
Qualifications: B.Sc (Eng) PhD, M AusIMM
Ian is a qualified Manager of Metallurgy with over forty years’ experience in process plant design, testwork, feasibility studies, commissioning, plant operations and team management on major international and local projects.
Ian has extensive experience in both international and Australian projects, in the treatment of refractory and copper/gold ores, in the design of comminution circuits, and industrial minerals process plants. Ian held a senior position in Newcrest Mining Limited, with responsibility for metallurgy across projects and studies, including plant optimization work across a number of sites.
Ian holds a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Engineering, specialising in Mineral Technology and a PhD in Mineral Technology. He is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Ian joined Chalice in June 2021.
Advisors
Martin Reed
TECHNICAL ADVISOR
Qualifications: B.Eng (Hons), PostGradDipMgmt
Martin is a highly experienced mining engineer and company director, with a career spanning 40+ years in globally recognised mining and resource companies throughout Australia and the Asia Pacific.
Over this time he has been involved in developing underground and open pit mining operations from feasibility through to operation. Martin was a Non-Executive Director and Study Manager for Saracen Mineral Holdings (ASX:SAR), and recently held the role of Non-Executive Director at Horizon Power.
Previously, Martin developed the greenfield DeGrussa Copper Gold Project as a Project Manager and COO at Sandfire Resources (ASX:SFR). He also served as COO and GM – Operations and Development at St Barbara Ltd (ASX:SBM) overseeing the Gwalia Gold Mine, and was a Construction Manager for the Ravensthorpe Nickel Mine at BHP.
Martin holds a Diploma from the Australian Institute of Company Directors
Nobi Yamaji
JAPAN REPRESENTATIVE
Mr Noboru (Nobi) Yamaji is a distinguished executive based in Japan, having held high profile roles including President and Representative Director of Rio Tinto Japan Limited for over a decade until 2019.
Prior to this he held numerous senior management positions at Mitsubishi Corporation primarily in projects, and trading, sales, and marketing of nickel.
Until 2021 he was the Vice Chair of the Australian and New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Japan and has also been appointed as a Commissioner for International Cooperation of the Personal Information Protection Commission in Japan.
Mr Yamaji has an exceptional network in the metals and mining sector in Japan and will assist Chalice in building strong relationships with influential industry leaders, government authorities, trade associations, and potential business partners in Japan as it seeks to advance the Gonneville Ni-Cu-PGE Project.
Kevin Frost
GEOLOGY ADVISOR
Qualifications: B.Sc (Hons) PhD, MAIG
Kevin is an exploration geologist with over 25 years’ experience, having held senior roles in both junior explorers and international mining houses. His expertise spans economic geology covering project evaluation, from grass roots to mining.
Kevin is a joint-winner of the prestigious 2023 PDAC Thayer Lindsley Award and a dual winner of the 2022 AMEC Prospectors Award for the discovery of the Gonneville Project, and previously in 2009 for the Spotted Quoll nickel deposit. Kevin was responsible for Western Area Limited’s significant Flying Fox nickel discovery, propelling them into a dominant role in the nickel sulphide market. He is also a member of the Australian Institute of Geologists. Kevin joined Chalice in 2016.