Our Team
Our team comprise individuals with extensive experience in resources, investment and global markets, the majority of whom have worked together for multiple decades. Our team has remained highly stable with all members of the Investment Committee having joined since inception.
Investment Committee
OWEN HEGARTY OAM
Executive Chairman
BEc (Hons) (Monash), FAusIMM
Owen has more than 50 years experience in the global mining industry: including 25 years with the Rio Tinto group where he worked in most of their commodities, companies, and countries, and ultimately was Managing Director of Rio Tinto Asia and the Australian copper and gold business from 1989 to 1994.
Owen was the founder and Managing Director of Oxiana Limited, where he led the growth of Oxiana from a junior explorer to a major Asia Pacific base and precious metals producer. Oxiana became OZ Minerals which remains one of the top performing resources stocks over the past 25 years. Owen was Chairman of the Tigers Realm Minerals Group and until end of 2016 was Vice Chairman of Fortescue Metals Group; and he was also the Executive Vice- Chairman of Hong Kong-listed G-Resources and CST Mining.
Owen holds a Bachelor of Economics (Hons) from Monash University, is a Honorary Fellow of and former Director of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AUSIMM), and a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).
Owen has served and continues to serve as a member of a number of Government and industry mining advisory bodies; and is the recipient of a number of awards and citations for his achievements and leadership in the mining industry. He was also awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in the June 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for service to the mining and minerals sector.
JASON CHANG
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director
LLM LLB B Ec (Accounting) (Monash, Australia), Barrister and Solicitor (Supreme Court, Victoria, Australia), Fellow, Financial and Securities Institute of Australia (FINSIA), Fellow, Hong Kong Securities Institute (MHKSI)
Jason has over 30 years’ experience in investment management and advisory with a focus on the resources and financial services sector. Prior to EMR, Jason was a partner of KPMG in Australia for over 13 years, based in Melbourne, where he was Partner in Charge of KPMG Australia’s Asia Practice and a member of KPMG Australia’s leadership team. In these roles, Jason was the head of KPMG Australia’s businesses across all service lines (transactions, mergers and acquisitions, advisory, tax and audit) for Australia and Asia inbound and outbound investments.
Jason was a Board Director of the Australia China Business Council (ACBC) (2008–2015) and President of the Victorian Branch of the Australia China Business Council (2008–2015). He is currently a board member of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and a member of the Advisory Council for Asialink Business.
Jason graduated with a Masters of Law, Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Economics (majoring in Accounting) from Monash University, Australia, and is admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria, Australia. He is a Fellow of the Financial and Securities Institute of Australia (FINSIA), a Fellow of the Hong Kong Securities Institute (HKSI) and the Responsible Officer for the EMR regulated entities. Jason completed his schooling in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
TONY MANINI
Executive Director and Investment Committee
BSc (Geology) (Hons) (LaTrobe), FAusIMM FSEG
Tony Manini is a Co-Founder and Executive Director of EMR Capital with responsibility for business origination and development, geology and exploration. He has over 30 years of global resource industry experience across a diverse range of projects, countries and commodities. Previous experience includes 14 years with CRA-Rio Tinto Group and 10 years with Oxiana-Oz Minerals covering technical, commercial and senior management roles in exploration, business development, project evaluation, mine development and operations.
Tony is also a co-founder of the Tigers Realm Minerals Group, a private incubator company involved in the discovery and development of world class metallurgical coal deposits in Russia (Tigers Realm Coal), development of copper and gold assets in Indonesia (Asiamet Resources) and world class uranium deposits in Canada (NexGen Energy).
Tony holds an Honours Degree in Geology and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and the Society of Economic Geologists.
ROB BURNS
Investment Committee
B Eng (RMIT) Fellowship in Metallurgy, Fellow AusIMM, MAICD
Rob is a senior resources executive with 40 years’ experience in the resources industry including 30 years with Rio Tinto in a number of senior management, operational and technical roles, across a range of commodities.
His roles at Rio Tinto included General Manager Rio Tinto Technology and Innovation, Managing Director of Northparkes Mines and Peak Gold Mine. He also represented Rio Tinto as Chairman of the Northparkes Joint Venture. Prior to that, he was General Manager of the Kelian Mine at Equatorial Mining; and Manager, Metallurgical Services, Bougainville Copper.
Rob is currently a Non-Executive Director of Bougainville Copper, Chairman of Indian Pacific Resources, a private iron ore exploration company and with EMR also a Chairman of Redhill Mining Hong Kong.
Rob has been involved in the development of significant greenfields projects including a major tailings retreatment project with Anglo American South Africa to recover gold, uranium and pyrite, the Gregory Bowen Basin coking coal project for BHP, the Hidden Valley gold project in PNG, the Wimmera Industrial mineral sands project in Western Victoria, Australia, and restart studies for the Bougainville Copper mine in PNG. Rob has also been involved in numerous brownfields projects with Bougainville Copper, Northparkes copper and gold mine, Kelian gold and Lihir gold.
Rob has considerable experience in business improvement across Rio Tinto’s global operations and was the founding chief consultant with Rio’s “Improving Performance Together” Team. Rob helped develop operations improvement methodologies and has led improvement teams that have realised reported value of hundreds of millions of dollars.
Rob has worked in numerous locations around the world including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Brazil, Peru, USA, Russia and Laos. Rob holds a Fellowship in Metallurgy (Bachelor of Engineering) from the School of Mines at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT).
DAVID JONES AM
Investment Committee and Chairman of Audit & Governance Committee
B Eng (1st Class Hons) (Melb) MBA (Harvard)
David has over thirty years’ experience in investment markets, the majority as a general partner in private equity firms, and prior to that in general management and management consulting. David was Managing Director of CHAMP Private Equity (2002–2011), a leading private equity firm. Prior to CHAMP, David was the Head of UBS Capital (1999–2002) in Australia, an executive with both Macquarie Bank’s private equity business and McKinsey and Co.
In 2007, David was Chairman of the Australian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association Limited (AVCAL).
David is currently Chair of VGI Partners Global Investments Limited, Catalyst Metals Ltd and DTS Capital.
David is also a Director of Regal Asian Investments Limited, Chair of , a member of the investment committee of Aviron Investment Management and a board member of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. He was Chair of the National Museum of Australia (2015-2021).
David has considerable experience in all aspects of private equity investing from development of investment strategy, portfolio construction, investment execution and exits to active management of investments. David has represented investors on the boards of more than 20 investee companies during his career.
David holds a Bachelor of Engineering with a First Class Honours from University of Melbourne and a MBA from Harvard Business School.
OWEN HEGARTY OAM
Executive Chairman
BEc (Hons) (Monash), FAusIMM
Owen has more than 50 years experience in the global mining industry: including 25 years with the Rio Tinto group where he worked in most of their commodities, companies, and countries, and ultimately was Managing Director of Rio Tinto Asia and the Australian copper and gold business from 1989 to 1994.
Owen was the founder and Managing Director of Oxiana Limited, where he led the growth of Oxiana from a junior explorer to a major Asia Pacific base and precious metals producer. Oxiana became OZ Minerals which remains one of the top performing resources stocks over the past 25 years. Owen was Chairman of the Tigers Realm Minerals Group and until end of 2016 was Vice Chairman of Fortescue Metals Group; and he was also the Executive Vice- Chairman of Hong Kong-listed G-Resources and CST Mining.
Owen holds a Bachelor of Economics (Hons) from Monash University, is a Honorary Fellow of and former Director of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AUSIMM), and a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).
Owen has served and continues to serve as a member of a number of Government and industry mining advisory bodies; and is the recipient of a number of awards and citations for his achievements and leadership in the mining industry. He was also awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in the June 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for service to the mining and minerals sector.
JASON CHANG
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director
LLM LLB B Ec (Accounting) (Monash, Australia), Barrister and Solicitor (Supreme Court, Victoria, Australia), Fellow, Financial and Securities Institute of Australia (FINSIA), Fellow, Hong Kong Securities Institute (MHKSI)
Jason has over 30 years’ experience in investment management and advisory with a focus on the resources and financial services sector. Prior to EMR, Jason was a partner of KPMG in Australia for over 13 years, based in Melbourne, where he was Partner in Charge of KPMG Australia’s Asia Practice and a member of KPMG Australia’s leadership team. In these roles, Jason was the head of KPMG Australia’s businesses across all service lines (transactions, mergers and acquisitions, advisory, tax and audit) for Australia and Asia inbound and outbound investments.
Jason was a Board Director of the Australia China Business Council (ACBC) (2008–2015) and President of the Victorian Branch of the Australia China Business Council (2008–2015). He is currently a board member of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and a member of the Advisory Council for Asialink Business.
Jason graduated with a Masters of Law, Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Economics (majoring in Accounting) from Monash University, Australia, and is admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria, Australia. He is a Fellow of the Financial and Securities Institute of Australia (FINSIA), a Fellow of the Hong Kong Securities Institute (HKSI) and the Responsible Officer for the EMR regulated entities. Jason completed his schooling in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
TONY MANINI
Executive Director and Investment Committee
BSc (Geology) (Hons) (LaTrobe), FAusIMM FSEG
Tony Manini is a Co-Founder and Executive Director of EMR Capital with responsibility for business origination and development, geology and exploration. He has over 30 years of global resource industry experience across a diverse range of projects, countries and commodities. Previous experience includes 14 years with CRA-Rio Tinto Group and 10 years with Oxiana-Oz Minerals covering technical, commercial and senior management roles in exploration, business development, project evaluation, mine development and operations.
Tony is also a co-founder of the Tigers Realm Minerals Group, a private incubator company involved in the discovery and development of world class metallurgical coal deposits in Russia (Tigers Realm Coal), development of copper and gold assets in Indonesia (Asiamet Resources) and world class uranium deposits in Canada (NexGen Energy).
Tony holds an Honours Degree in Geology and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and the Society of Economic Geologists.
ROB BURNS
Investment Committee
B Eng (RMIT) Fellowship in Metallurgy, Fellow AusIMM, MAICD
Rob is a senior resources executive with 40 years’ experience in the resources industry including 30 years with Rio Tinto in a number of senior management, operational and technical roles, across a range of commodities.
His roles at Rio Tinto included General Manager Rio Tinto Technology and Innovation, Managing Director of Northparkes Mines and Peak Gold Mine. He also represented Rio Tinto as Chairman of the Northparkes Joint Venture. Prior to that, he was General Manager of the Kelian Mine at Equatorial Mining; and Manager, Metallurgical Services, Bougainville Copper.
Rob is currently a Non-Executive Director of Bougainville Copper, Chairman of Indian Pacific Resources, a private iron ore exploration company and with EMR also a Chairman of Redhill Mining Hong Kong.
Rob has been involved in the development of significant greenfields projects including a major tailings retreatment project with Anglo American South Africa to recover gold, uranium and pyrite, the Gregory Bowen Basin coking coal project for BHP, the Hidden Valley gold project in PNG, the Wimmera Industrial mineral sands project in Western Victoria, Australia, and restart studies for the Bougainville Copper mine in PNG. Rob has also been involved in numerous brownfields projects with Bougainville Copper, Northparkes copper and gold mine, Kelian gold and Lihir gold.
Rob has considerable experience in business improvement across Rio Tinto’s global operations and was the founding chief consultant with Rio’s “Improving Performance Together” Team. Rob helped develop operations improvement methodologies and has led improvement teams that have realised reported value of hundreds of millions of dollars.
Rob has worked in numerous locations around the world including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Brazil, Peru, USA, Russia and Laos. Rob holds a Fellowship in Metallurgy (Bachelor of Engineering) from the School of Mines at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT).
DAVID JONES AM
Investment Committee and Chairman of Audit & Governance Committee
B Eng (1st Class Hons) (Melb) MBA (Harvard)
David has over thirty years’ experience in investment markets, the majority as a general partner in private equity firms, and prior to that in general management and management consulting. David was Managing Director of CHAMP Private Equity (2002–2011), a leading private equity firm. Prior to CHAMP, David was the Head of UBS Capital (1999–2002) in Australia, an executive with both Macquarie Bank’s private equity business and McKinsey and Co.
In 2007, David was Chairman of the Australian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association Limited (AVCAL).
David is currently Chair of VGI Partners Global Investments Limited, Catalyst Metals Ltd and DTS Capital.
David is also a Director of Regal Asian Investments Limited, Chair of , a member of the investment committee of Aviron Investment Management and a board member of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. He was Chair of the National Museum of Australia (2015-2021).
David has considerable experience in all aspects of private equity investing from development of investment strategy, portfolio construction, investment execution and exits to active management of investments. David has represented investors on the boards of more than 20 investee companies during his career.
David holds a Bachelor of Engineering with a First Class Honours from University of Melbourne and a MBA from Harvard Business School.
Group Board Directors
GLEN WIGNEY
Board Director and Member of the Audit, Risk Management and Compliance Committee
B Com (Hons) (Carleton) CA (Ontario) CPA (Ontario) CPA (Illinois)
Glen is formerly a member of Deloitte & Touche’s global financial services team and has 30 years of experience with Deloitte in three countries.
After starting his career in his native Canada, he joined Deloitte’s Cayman Islands practice. During his 20 years in Cayman he has served on various alternative investment management industry committees and Deloitte’s Global Financial Services Industry Group.
Glen was the partner in charge of the audit practice of Deloitte Cayman before relocating to Deloitte’s U.S. firm. Based in Chicago for seven years, he led Deloitte’s Emerging Manager Program in the U.S. Midwest.
Mr. Wigney returned to the Cayman Islands in 2014 and co-founded Five Continents Partners Limited to provide governance services to the investment management industry.
Mr. Wigney holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Carleton University in Ottawa. He is an Illinois Certified Public Accountant, a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario and the Cayman Islands Institute of Professional Accountants. With over 25 years of alternative investment management experience he is also an SEC Financial Expert. Glen is a registered director under the Directors Registration and Licensing Law, 2014 of the Cayman Islands. He is also the co-founder of the Cayman Islands Chapter of Hedge Funds Care and has served on the global board of directors for this charity.
As a Board Director and Audit Committee Member of EMR Capital, Glen will focus on governance, financial reporting, investment strategy, assessment of investment proposals and transaction execution.
GLEN WIGNEY
Board Director and Member of the Audit, Risk Management and Compliance Committee
B Com (Hons) (Carleton) CA (Ontario) CPA (Ontario) CPA (Illinois)
Glen is formerly a member of Deloitte & Touche’s global financial services team and has 30 years of experience with Deloitte in three countries.
After starting his career in his native Canada, he joined Deloitte’s Cayman Islands practice. During his 20 years in Cayman he has served on various alternative investment management industry committees and Deloitte’s Global Financial Services Industry Group.
Glen was the partner in charge of the audit practice of Deloitte Cayman before relocating to Deloitte’s U.S. firm. Based in Chicago for seven years, he led Deloitte’s Emerging Manager Program in the U.S. Midwest.
Mr. Wigney returned to the Cayman Islands in 2014 and co-founded Five Continents Partners Limited to provide governance services to the investment management industry.
Mr. Wigney holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Carleton University in Ottawa. He is an Illinois Certified Public Accountant, a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario and the Cayman Islands Institute of Professional Accountants. With over 25 years of alternative investment management experience he is also an SEC Financial Expert. Glen is a registered director under the Directors Registration and Licensing Law, 2014 of the Cayman Islands. He is also the co-founder of the Cayman Islands Chapter of Hedge Funds Care and has served on the global board of directors for this charity.
As a Board Director and Audit Committee Member of EMR Capital, Glen will focus on governance, financial reporting, investment strategy, assessment of investment proposals and transaction execution.
Investment Directors
JOHN CHOMLEY
Investment Director
B Eng (Chemical) (Hons) (Mel)
John is a chemical engineer with over 30 years experience in the resources industry. The majority of the first 17 years were spent in operational, technical, business improvement and management roles in base metal processing operations. These roles focused on the development of new operations and the significant improvement of existing ones including roles as Metallurgical Superintendent of Aberfoyle Resource’s (Australian Stock Exchange listed), Mt Gordon copper operation and Smelter Operations Leader of the Tomago Aluminium Smelter.
John moved into an investments, mergers and acquisitions role with the expanding Oxiana Ltd, working with many members of the current EMR team since then. He later joined Tigers Realm Minerals Group in 2010 whereas Head of Business Development he was an integral member of the team that established three commodity focused public companies: Tigers Realm Coal; Asiamet Resources (copper); and NexGen Energy (uranium). John joined EMR Capital in 2015 as an Investment Director at EMR.
John has led cross functional teams to assess resource opportunities in many parts of the world including Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Turkey, Russia and South America. At EMR Capital John has been closely involved in many portfolio companies.
ROB CURTIS
Investment Director
B Applied Science (Geology) (1st Class Hons)
Rob is a geologist with 20+ years experience in exploration, business development and investments within highly successful teams at Rio Tinto, Oxiana and OZ Minerals which included most of the current EMR Capital team members.
He has an extensive track record in bringing investment opportunities from early stage project evaluation, technical due diligence through to successful execution of investments.
Rob has significant hands on fieldwork, transactional and due diligence experience in grassroots to advanced exploration and development projects across a diverse range of commodities and countries.
A key part of Rob’s role over his 16 year career has been to identify and evaluate resources investment opportunities around the world which involved on site due diligence and developing networks globally to facilitate deal pipeline. As such, Rob has worked on and assessed resources opportunities in many parts of the world including Australia, Indonesia, India, Laos, Papua New Guinea (PNG), North and South America. As part of Rob’s roles, he has lived in Laos, PNG, Darwin, Perth and Melbourne.
Rob’s transaction experience includes execution of investments in Sandfire Resources, IMX Resources, Toro Energy, Beadell Resources, Royalco Resources, Minotaur Resources, Golden Grove, Martabe and many others. Rob was also involved in a number of successful investment exits including Sepon, Wafi and Hidden Valley.
Rob graduated from the School of Mines at the University of Ballarat with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Geology) with First Class Honours, and was a winner of the Australian Institute of Mines and Metallurgy Scholarship.
DAMIAN PEARSON
Investment Director
LLB, Chartered Accountant (England & Wales)
Damian is a senior mining investment and financing executive with over 20 years of experience in mining mergers, acquisitions, divestments and financing.
Prior to EMR Capital, Damian was a senior member of Deutsche Bank’s global natural resources team where he led numerous cross-border M&A and financing transactions for companies including Fortescue, Glencore, Baosteel, Minmetals, EMR Capital, St Barbara, Kidman Resources and Galaxy Resources.
Prior to joining Deutsche Bank, he worked for BNP Paribas in a similar capacity. Damian commenced his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers in the UK.
Damian has extensive strategic advisory and end to end M&A experience which includes major investments by Asian corporates in Australia, complex M&A situations. His financing experience includes work across the capital structure - equity, convertible bonds, senior bank debt, mezzanine loans and US debt markets.
He has experience of multiple commodities including. coal, iron ore, gold, base metals and battery materials.
Damian graduated with a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Birmingham, UK and is a Chartered Accountant.
GEORGE FORDYCE
Investment Director
B Eng (Chemical) (Mel), B Com (Finance) (Hons) (Mel)
George has over 15 years’ experience in corporate finance/investment banking roles relating to the natural resources sector with a specific focus on metals & mining.
Prior to EMR, George was an Associate Director in Macquarie Capital’s Natural Resources team, based in Melbourne, with primary client coverage responsibility for procuring new mandates and executing transactions in the Australian coal sector.
George spent over 12 years at Macquarie in a variety of roles relating to the natural resources sector across the Melbourne and Brisbane offices. He has intimate knowledge of, and very strong transaction experience across, the coal and base metals sectors including, the defence role for Riversdale Resources on the A$800m hostile takeover bid by Hancock Prospecting, the sale of Peak Gold Mine by New Gold to Aurelia Metals, a A$150m capital raising for CleanTeQ and all the way back to the defence role for Rio Tinto on its defence from BHP Billiton back in 2008. George’s experience extends across all nature of corporate finance transactions including both public and private M&A, ECM, IPOs, debt finance, listed takeovers, scheme of arrangements, multi jurisdiction transactions and importantly where Macquarie invested its own balance sheet as a principal investor. George also has considerable experience working on coal infrastructure transactions in Australia.
Whilst still at Macquarie, George was involved in EMR Capital’s acquisition of the Kestrel coking coal mine in 2018.
Prior to Macquarie, George commenced his career in 2004 as an intern at Exxon Mobil’s Altona Oil & Gas Refinery as a process engineer.
George graduated with a combined Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical) and Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from The University of Melbourne.
JOHN CHOMLEY
Investment Director
B Eng (Chemical) (Hons) (Mel)
John is a chemical engineer with over 30 years experience in the resources industry. The majority of the first 17 years were spent in operational, technical, business improvement and management roles in base metal processing operations. These roles focused on the development of new operations and the significant improvement of existing ones including roles as Metallurgical Superintendent of Aberfoyle Resource’s (Australian Stock Exchange listed), Mt Gordon copper operation and Smelter Operations Leader of the Tomago Aluminium Smelter.
John moved into an investments, mergers and acquisitions role with the expanding Oxiana Ltd, working with many members of the current EMR team since then. He later joined Tigers Realm Minerals Group in 2010 whereas Head of Business Development he was an integral member of the team that established three commodity focused public companies: Tigers Realm Coal; Asiamet Resources (copper); and NexGen Energy (uranium). John joined EMR Capital in 2015 as an Investment Director at EMR.
John has led cross functional teams to assess resource opportunities in many parts of the world including Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Turkey, Russia and South America. At EMR Capital John has been closely involved in many portfolio companies.
ROB CURTIS
Investment Director
B Applied Science (Geology) (1st Class Hons)
Rob is a geologist with 20+ years experience in exploration, business development and investments within highly successful teams at Rio Tinto, Oxiana and OZ Minerals which included most of the current EMR Capital team members.
He has an extensive track record in bringing investment opportunities from early stage project evaluation, technical due diligence through to successful execution of investments.
Rob has significant hands on fieldwork, transactional and due diligence experience in grassroots to advanced exploration and development projects across a diverse range of commodities and countries.
A key part of Rob’s role over his 16 year career has been to identify and evaluate resources investment opportunities around the world which involved on site due diligence and developing networks globally to facilitate deal pipeline. As such, Rob has worked on and assessed resources opportunities in many parts of the world including Australia, Indonesia, India, Laos, Papua New Guinea (PNG), North and South America. As part of Rob’s roles, he has lived in Laos, PNG, Darwin, Perth and Melbourne.
Rob’s transaction experience includes execution of investments in Sandfire Resources, IMX Resources, Toro Energy, Beadell Resources, Royalco Resources, Minotaur Resources, Golden Grove, Martabe and many others. Rob was also involved in a number of successful investment exits including Sepon, Wafi and Hidden Valley.
Rob graduated from the School of Mines at the University of Ballarat with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Geology) with First Class Honours, and was a winner of the Australian Institute of Mines and Metallurgy Scholarship.
DAMIAN PEARSON
Investment Director
LLB, Chartered Accountant (England & Wales)
Damian is a senior mining investment and financing executive with over 20 years of experience in mining mergers, acquisitions, divestments and financing.
Prior to EMR Capital, Damian was a senior member of Deutsche Bank’s global natural resources team where he led numerous cross-border M&A and financing transactions for companies including Fortescue, Glencore, Baosteel, Minmetals, EMR Capital, St Barbara, Kidman Resources and Galaxy Resources.
Prior to joining Deutsche Bank, he worked for BNP Paribas in a similar capacity. Damian commenced his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers in the UK.
Damian has extensive strategic advisory and end to end M&A experience which includes major investments by Asian corporates in Australia, complex M&A situations. His financing experience includes work across the capital structure - equity, convertible bonds, senior bank debt, mezzanine loans and US debt markets.
He has experience of multiple commodities including. coal, iron ore, gold, base metals and battery materials.
Damian graduated with a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Birmingham, UK and is a Chartered Accountant.
GEORGE FORDYCE
Investment Director
B Eng (Chemical) (Mel), B Com (Finance) (Hons) (Mel)
George has over 15 years’ experience in corporate finance/investment banking roles relating to the natural resources sector with a specific focus on metals & mining.
Prior to EMR, George was an Associate Director in Macquarie Capital’s Natural Resources team, based in Melbourne, with primary client coverage responsibility for procuring new mandates and executing transactions in the Australian coal sector.
George spent over 12 years at Macquarie in a variety of roles relating to the natural resources sector across the Melbourne and Brisbane offices. He has intimate knowledge of, and very strong transaction experience across, the coal and base metals sectors including, the defence role for Riversdale Resources on the A$800m hostile takeover bid by Hancock Prospecting, the sale of Peak Gold Mine by New Gold to Aurelia Metals, a A$150m capital raising for CleanTeQ and all the way back to the defence role for Rio Tinto on its defence from BHP Billiton back in 2008. George’s experience extends across all nature of corporate finance transactions including both public and private M&A, ECM, IPOs, debt finance, listed takeovers, scheme of arrangements, multi jurisdiction transactions and importantly where Macquarie invested its own balance sheet as a principal investor. George also has considerable experience working on coal infrastructure transactions in Australia.
Whilst still at Macquarie, George was involved in EMR Capital’s acquisition of the Kestrel coking coal mine in 2018.
Prior to Macquarie, George commenced his career in 2004 as an intern at Exxon Mobil’s Altona Oil & Gas Refinery as a process engineer.
George graduated with a combined Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical) and Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from The University of Melbourne.
Vice Presidents
BRENDAN CONNELLY
Vice President
B Eng (Mining) (1st Class Hons) (Adelaide), BSc (Geology, Geophysics & Applied Geology) (Adelaide), M Fin (Applied Finance)
Brendan joined EMR in 2016 and has been involved in the acquisition, financing and management of multiple portfolio companies, with a particular focus on copper, gold and base metals.
Brendan’s previous natural resources experience includes working as an Analyst in Standard Chartered Bank’s Mining & Metals M&A Advisory team and at Olympic Dam mine as an engineering intern with BHP Billiton.
Brendan is qualified with a Bachelor of Mining Engineering (First Class Honours), Bachelor of Science (Geology, Geophysics & Applied Geology), and a Masters of Applied Finance from the University of Adelaide. Brendan received a number of University achievements for excellence in coursework, including the Mining & Geotechnical Engineering Honours Prize. In 2009, Brendan was awarded the BHP Billiton Scholarship for Mining Engineering.
JAKE FRIEND
Vice President
B Sci (Engineering & Finance) (WA),M Fin (Distinction)
Jake joins EMR after previous experience as an Analyst with Credit Suisse in their Investment Banking and Capital Markets team and BHP in their Mergers and Acquisitions team.
At Credit Suisse, Jake advised public and private corporate clients and private equity funds across several transactions including M&A, debt and equity capital market issuances, takeover defence and strategic portfolio reviews.
More recently at BHP, Jake worked on various base metals M&A transactions, with a focus on conducting due diligence, financial analysis, transaction structuring, portfolio impacts analysis and regulator engagement.
Jake is qualified with a Bachelor of Science (double major in Engineering Science and Finance) and a Master of Applied Finance (with Distinction) from the University of Western Australia. During his time at University, Jake received various awards for coursework excellence, including recognition as the top student in the Corporate Finance and Business Analysis and Valuation classes. Jake also completed internships with BHP in their Western Australian Iron Ore division, EY and PricewaterhouseCoopers whilst studying.
BRENDAN CONNELLY
Vice President
B Eng (Mining) (1st Class Hons) (Adelaide), BSc (Geology, Geophysics & Applied Geology) (Adelaide), M Fin (Applied Finance)
Brendan joined EMR in 2016 and has been involved in the acquisition, financing and management of multiple portfolio companies, with a particular focus on copper, gold and base metals.
Brendan’s previous natural resources experience includes working as an Analyst in Standard Chartered Bank’s Mining & Metals M&A Advisory team and at Olympic Dam mine as an engineering intern with BHP Billiton.
Brendan is qualified with a Bachelor of Mining Engineering (First Class Honours), Bachelor of Science (Geology, Geophysics & Applied Geology), and a Masters of Applied Finance from the University of Adelaide. Brendan received a number of University achievements for excellence in coursework, including the Mining & Geotechnical Engineering Honours Prize. In 2009, Brendan was awarded the BHP Billiton Scholarship for Mining Engineering.
JAKE FRIEND
Vice President
B Sci (Engineering & Finance) (WA),M Fin (Distinction)
Jake joins EMR after previous experience as an Analyst with Credit Suisse in their Investment Banking and Capital Markets team and BHP in their Mergers and Acquisitions team.
At Credit Suisse, Jake advised public and private corporate clients and private equity funds across several transactions including M&A, debt and equity capital market issuances, takeover defence and strategic portfolio reviews.
More recently at BHP, Jake worked on various base metals M&A transactions, with a focus on conducting due diligence, financial analysis, transaction structuring, portfolio impacts analysis and regulator engagement.
Jake is qualified with a Bachelor of Science (double major in Engineering Science and Finance) and a Master of Applied Finance (with Distinction) from the University of Western Australia. During his time at University, Jake received various awards for coursework excellence, including recognition as the top student in the Corporate Finance and Business Analysis and Valuation classes. Jake also completed internships with BHP in their Western Australian Iron Ore division, EY and PricewaterhouseCoopers whilst studying.
Analysts
RISHUL DODHIA
Associate
B Com (Finance & Economics) (1st Class Hons) (Melb)
Rishul joined EMR after working as an Investment Banking Analyst at J.P. Morgan in their Australian Metals & Mining M&A team.
During his time with J.P. Morgan, Rishul conducted financial and strategic analysis to advise leading global mining companies across mergers and acquisitions, debt capital markets and equity capital markets. Rishul has gained experience in a wide variety of commodities including copper, gold, Lithium, iron ore and nickel.
Rishul is qualified with a Bachelor of Commerce (First Class Honours) majoring in Finance and Economics from the University of Melbourne.
Jax Tham
Analyst
B Com (UWA), Chartered Accountant
Jax joins EMR after working in the Deals, Financial Advisory practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers, focusing primarily in the metals & mining sector.
During his five years prior to joining EMR, Jax has worked on numerous M&A and financing transactions, and was responsible for conducting detailed financial analysis and due diligence and have worked with large public & private companies including, South32, BHP, PanAust and Deswik (mining tech).
Jax has gained experience in a wide variety of commodities including copper, gold, potash and coal. Jax graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Western Australia and is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand. Jax also completed internships with EY Australia and EY Singapore whilst completing his university studies.
RISHUL DODHIA
Associate
B Com (Finance & Economics) (1st Class Hons) (Melb)
Rishul joined EMR after working as an Investment Banking Analyst at J.P. Morgan in their Australian Metals & Mining M&A team.
During his time with J.P. Morgan, Rishul conducted financial and strategic analysis to advise leading global mining companies across mergers and acquisitions, debt capital markets and equity capital markets. Rishul has gained experience in a wide variety of commodities including copper, gold, Lithium, iron ore and nickel.
Rishul is qualified with a Bachelor of Commerce (First Class Honours) majoring in Finance and Economics from the University of Melbourne.
Jax Tham
Analyst
B Com (UWA), Chartered Accountant
Jax joins EMR after working in the Deals, Financial Advisory practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers, focusing primarily in the metals & mining sector.
During his five years prior to joining EMR, Jax has worked on numerous M&A and financing transactions, and was responsible for conducting detailed financial analysis and due diligence and have worked with large public & private companies including, South32, BHP, PanAust and Deswik (mining tech).
Jax has gained experience in a wide variety of commodities including copper, gold, potash and coal. Jax graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Western Australia and is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand. Jax also completed internships with EY Australia and EY Singapore whilst completing his university studies.
Finance, Operations, Risk and Compliance
RALPH FERGUSON
Chief Financial Officer
B Com (Melbourne), Chartered Accountant (ICAA) (Australia)
Ralph has over 36 years experience in the provision of accounting, assurance and finance related matters.
Ralph joined EMR as CFO in 2017 and since that time has been responsible for all elements of the EMR Finance function including: financial reporting; treasury management; and information technology. Ralph also has overall responsibility for the legal, risk and compliance and people related functions within EMR.
Prior to joining EMR Capital, Ralph had been a Senior Partner in KPMG Australia for 18 years. In that position he held various senior roles including Partner in Charge of KPMG’s CFO Advisory Practice in Melbourne, responsible for advising CFO’s on strategy, operations and risk.
Prior to that position Ralph was Partner in Charge of KPMG’s Enterprise Group, a dedicated practice established to provide audit, taxation and advisory services to privately owned corporate groups and family offices.
Ralph’s experience at KPMG included transaction due diligence assignments relating to mergers, acquisitions and divestments. In addition to his external client roles and internal KPMG leadership positions, Ralph led various strategic and operational initiatives for KPMG.
Ralph holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Melbourne University, is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia and whilst at KPMG was an Australian Securities and Investments Commission (“ASIC”) registered company auditor.
WINNIE LAU
Financial Controller - Corporate
B Com (Accounting and Finance) (Sydney), Chartered Accountant (ICAA)
Winnie has more than 15 years’ experience in the provision of accounting and financial services. Winnie has had experience in different aspects of finance within the banking industry.
Prior to joining EMR Capital in 2018, Winnie was with Macquarie Group in Hong Kong, where she was responsible for the business performance and financial control of the Securities business in Asia. Prior to Macquarie, Winnie was working in Group Finance at the Head Office of Westpac Banking Corporation. Winnie has also worked in tax consulting at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Australia.
Winnie holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree, majoring in Accounting and Finance, from the University of Sydney, and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia.
JOSHUA DOUGLAS
Financial Controller - Funds
Josh has more than 11 years of investment management and professional services experience, with a primary focus on providing accounting, transactional and treasury services.
Josh is the global Fund Controller at EMR Capital based in EMR’s Cayman Islands office and is responsible for all fund related matters including finance and treasury management, fundraising and investor relations support, investor LP and GP reporting and risk and compliance.
Prior to EMR Capital Josh was a Manager in KPMG’s CFO Advisory division in Melbourne where he spent 5 years working alongside CFO’s and finance teams of major private and public companies to enhance finance functions. Josh’s experience at KPMG included secondments in the private equity, telecommunications and banking industries as well as providing transactional due diligence support on multiple major transactions. He also spent 2 years in the assurance practice working in the Energy and Natural Resources division at KPMG.
Josh is qualified with a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Accounting and Management, from Deakin University in Melbourne, and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia.
ANNIE LEE
Senior Financial Accountant
B Bus Admin (Accounting & Fin) (Hong Kong)
Prior to joining EMR Capital, Annie had 3 years’ assurance experience in the financial services practice of Ernst & Young Hong Kong.
Annie’s experience included assurance services to listed private equity companies and securities brokerage firms in Hong Kong. As part of the assurance experience, she specialised in the review of Group Accounts and the financial returns for Securities and Futures Commission licensee (SFC licensee) holders.
Annie holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and Finance degree from the University of Hong Kong and is a member of Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
AMY KAM
Financial Accountant
BComm (Accounting and Finance) (Curtin)
Amy has over 13 years' experience in provision of accounting services in US listed companies and over 5 years' experience in HK listed company.
Prior to joining EMR Capital, Amy worked for Korn/Ferry where she was responsible for managing Accounts Payable and Accounting Operations. Prior to Korn/Ferry, she worked for the Shared Services Centre of Sybase (acquired by SAP) where she was responsible for accounting support across the APAC region.
Her experience included financial reporting and analysis, budgeting, accounting system implementation, and overseeing accounting operation to ensure compliance.
Amy holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Accounting and Finance from Curtin University of Technology and a Higher Diploma in Accountancy from City University of Hong Kong.
RALPH FERGUSON
Chief Financial Officer
B Com (Melbourne), Chartered Accountant (ICAA) (Australia)
Ralph has over 36 years experience in the provision of accounting, assurance and finance related matters.
Ralph joined EMR as CFO in 2017 and since that time has been responsible for all elements of the EMR Finance function including: financial reporting; treasury management; and information technology. Ralph also has overall responsibility for the legal, risk and compliance and people related functions within EMR.
Prior to joining EMR Capital, Ralph had been a Senior Partner in KPMG Australia for 18 years. In that position he held various senior roles including Partner in Charge of KPMG’s CFO Advisory Practice in Melbourne, responsible for advising CFO’s on strategy, operations and risk.
Prior to that position Ralph was Partner in Charge of KPMG’s Enterprise Group, a dedicated practice established to provide audit, taxation and advisory services to privately owned corporate groups and family offices.
Ralph’s experience at KPMG included transaction due diligence assignments relating to mergers, acquisitions and divestments. In addition to his external client roles and internal KPMG leadership positions, Ralph led various strategic and operational initiatives for KPMG.
Ralph holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Melbourne University, is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia and whilst at KPMG was an Australian Securities and Investments Commission (“ASIC”) registered company auditor.
WINNIE LAU
Financial Controller - Corporate
B Com (Accounting and Finance) (Sydney), Chartered Accountant (ICAA)
Winnie has more than 15 years’ experience in the provision of accounting and financial services. Winnie has had experience in different aspects of finance within the banking industry.
Prior to joining EMR Capital in 2018, Winnie was with Macquarie Group in Hong Kong, where she was responsible for the business performance and financial control of the Securities business in Asia. Prior to Macquarie, Winnie was working in Group Finance at the Head Office of Westpac Banking Corporation. Winnie has also worked in tax consulting at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Australia.
Winnie holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree, majoring in Accounting and Finance, from the University of Sydney, and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia.
JOSHUA DOUGLAS
Financial Controller - Funds
Josh has more than 11 years of investment management and professional services experience, with a primary focus on providing accounting, transactional and treasury services.
Josh is the global Fund Controller at EMR Capital based in EMR’s Cayman Islands office and is responsible for all fund related matters including finance and treasury management, fundraising and investor relations support, investor LP and GP reporting and risk and compliance.
Prior to EMR Capital Josh was a Manager in KPMG’s CFO Advisory division in Melbourne where he spent 5 years working alongside CFO’s and finance teams of major private and public companies to enhance finance functions. Josh’s experience at KPMG included secondments in the private equity, telecommunications and banking industries as well as providing transactional due diligence support on multiple major transactions. He also spent 2 years in the assurance practice working in the Energy and Natural Resources division at KPMG.
Josh is qualified with a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Accounting and Management, from Deakin University in Melbourne, and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia.
ANNIE LEE
Senior Financial Accountant
B Bus Admin (Accounting & Fin) (Hong Kong)
Prior to joining EMR Capital, Annie had 3 years’ assurance experience in the financial services practice of Ernst & Young Hong Kong.
Annie’s experience included assurance services to listed private equity companies and securities brokerage firms in Hong Kong. As part of the assurance experience, she specialised in the review of Group Accounts and the financial returns for Securities and Futures Commission licensee (SFC licensee) holders.
Annie holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and Finance degree from the University of Hong Kong and is a member of Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
AMY KAM
Financial Accountant
BComm (Accounting and Finance) (Curtin)
Amy has over 13 years' experience in provision of accounting services in US listed companies and over 5 years' experience in HK listed company.
Prior to joining EMR Capital, Amy worked for Korn/Ferry where she was responsible for managing Accounts Payable and Accounting Operations. Prior to Korn/Ferry, she worked for the Shared Services Centre of Sybase (acquired by SAP) where she was responsible for accounting support across the APAC region.
Her experience included financial reporting and analysis, budgeting, accounting system implementation, and overseeing accounting operation to ensure compliance.
Amy holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Accounting and Finance from Curtin University of Technology and a Higher Diploma in Accountancy from City University of Hong Kong.