Portfolio Companies
The CEOs of our portfolio companies are executives who have worked with, or are well known to,
the EMR team over many years.
JAMES PALMER
CEO, 29Metals
James has more than 25 years’ experience across operational, technical, strategy and business development roles, in a career that spans multiple commodities. James was previously with BHP where he has spent two decades in various leadership roles, most recently as BHP’s Group Performance & Improvement Officer.
TIM DUFFY
CEO, Ravenswood Gold
B Commerce (James Cook), Fellow CPA, Fellow AusIMM
Tim is an international mining executive with more than 30 years experience in the mining industry. He has a strong track record of leadership roles focused on development, growth and operational improvements.
Prior to joining, Ravenswood Gold, Tim was CEO & Managing Director of Lubambe Copper Mine Ltd in Zambia, during a business turnaround of the underground operation. Previous to that he was CEO of PT Agincourt Resources in Indonesia. During his tenure, the team at the company’s Martabe Gold Mine achieved significant improvements in operating performance and the gold and silver resource and reserve base, ensuring a long and sustainable future. These outcomes were delivered with regard to the highest standards of safety, efficiency and cost discipline and a sustainable social license to operate.
MARK KIRKBRIDE
CEO, West Cumbria Mining
B Eng (Mining) (Exeter), M Philosophy in Geomechanics
Mark has more than 25 years’ experience in the mining and civil engineering industries, primarily in underground construction and operations and has worked on a wide range of mine developments, operational mines, tunnelling and heavy civil engineering construction projects. His mining expertise includes deep shaft sinking, hard and soft rock tunnel developments and production operations.
Mark has also held a series of leadership roles within a wide range of specialist businesses. These roles have incorporated strategic development, project financing, mergers/acquisitions and divestments.
Mark holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Mining Engineering and a Master of Philosophy in Geomechanics, both from Camborne School of Mines. He is a Fellow of the UK Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and a Chartered Engineer.
DEAN PEKESKI
CEO, Peak Minerals
B Earth Sciences (University of Western Ontario)
Dean has more than 20 years’ experience in mineral exploration and project development. From 1996 to 2008, Dean was an exploration geologist and project manager with Rio Tinto where he explored for base metal and diamond deposits across Canada, Southern Africa, and India. He led the Rio Tinto exploration team that discovered and evaluated the diamondiferous Bunder kimberlites. After leaving Rio Tinto, Dean joined Western Potash Corporation where, as Executive Vice President, he successfully managed the Milestone Potash Project in Saskatchewan from discovery, through pre-feasibility, feasibility, environmental permitting, and project financing.
Dean holds a degree in Earth Sciences from the University of Western Ontario. He is a registered Professional Geologist and a Qualified Person in the field of potash geology as defined by NI 43-101 Standards, and is also an active member of the Solution Mining Research Institute.
IGNACIO SALAZAR
CEO, Highfield Resources
Ignacio Salazar is an international executive with more than 30 years of experience in the natural resources industry. He has lived and worked in various countries in Europe and South America. Ignacio assumed the position of CEO of Highfield in July 2020, after coming from Orosur Mining, a Canadian gold mining company with operations in Colombia, Uruguay and Chile, which is listed in the London and Toronto stock markets, and in which he worked as CEO and CFO for 12 years.
Salazar had previously pursued an 18-year international career in oil and gas exploration and production with Royal Dutch Shell, where he led new business development and finance teams in countries such as the UK, Germany, Denmark and Argentina, as well as working in headquarters in London and The Hague. Following his tenure at Shell, in 2008 he joined Orosur Mining, where he was appointed CEO in 2013, until joining Highfield.
Ignacio has extensive experience in the exploration, development, construction and operation of open pit and underground mines, as well as in the development of local relations with communities and governments, and international relations within the industry and in the capital markets from London, Europe and North America, both raising capital and in mergers and acquisitions.
Educated at the University of Deusto (Bilbao) where he completed his master’s degrees in Economics and Business and Law, Salazar initially worked in companies such as Hidrola (now Iberdrola) in Madrid, and Management Horizons in London.
JAMES PALMER
CEO, 29Metals
James has more than 25 years’ experience across operational, technical, strategy and business development roles, in a career that spans multiple commodities. James was previously with BHP where he has spent two decades in various leadership roles, most recently as BHP’s Group Performance & Improvement Officer.
TIM DUFFY
CEO, Ravenswood Gold
B Commerce (James Cook), Fellow CPA, Fellow AusIMM
Tim is an international mining executive with more than 30 years experience in the mining industry. He has a strong track record of leadership roles focused on development, growth and operational improvements.
Prior to joining, Ravenswood Gold, Tim was CEO & Managing Director of Lubambe Copper Mine Ltd in Zambia, during a business turnaround of the underground operation. Previous to that he was CEO of PT Agincourt Resources in Indonesia. During his tenure, the team at the company’s Martabe Gold Mine achieved significant improvements in operating performance and the gold and silver resource and reserve base, ensuring a long and sustainable future. These outcomes were delivered with regard to the highest standards of safety, efficiency and cost discipline and a sustainable social license to operate.
MARK KIRKBRIDE
CEO, West Cumbria Mining
B Eng (Mining) (Exeter), M Philosophy in Geomechanics
Mark has more than 25 years’ experience in the mining and civil engineering industries, primarily in underground construction and operations and has worked on a wide range of mine developments, operational mines, tunnelling and heavy civil engineering construction projects. His mining expertise includes deep shaft sinking, hard and soft rock tunnel developments and production operations.
Mark has also held a series of leadership roles within a wide range of specialist businesses. These roles have incorporated strategic development, project financing, mergers/acquisitions and divestments.
Mark holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Mining Engineering and a Master of Philosophy in Geomechanics, both from Camborne School of Mines. He is a Fellow of the UK Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and a Chartered Engineer.
DEAN PEKESKI
CEO, Peak Minerals
B Earth Sciences (University of Western Ontario)
Dean has more than 20 years’ experience in mineral exploration and project development. From 1996 to 2008, Dean was an exploration geologist and project manager with Rio Tinto where he explored for base metal and diamond deposits across Canada, Southern Africa, and India. He led the Rio Tinto exploration team that discovered and evaluated the diamondiferous Bunder kimberlites. After leaving Rio Tinto, Dean joined Western Potash Corporation where, as Executive Vice President, he successfully managed the Milestone Potash Project in Saskatchewan from discovery, through pre-feasibility, feasibility, environmental permitting, and project financing.
Dean holds a degree in Earth Sciences from the University of Western Ontario. He is a registered Professional Geologist and a Qualified Person in the field of potash geology as defined by NI 43-101 Standards, and is also an active member of the Solution Mining Research Institute.
IGNACIO SALAZAR
CEO, Highfield Resources
Ignacio Salazar is an international executive with more than 30 years of experience in the natural resources industry. He has lived and worked in various countries in Europe and South America. Ignacio assumed the position of CEO of Highfield in July 2020, after coming from Orosur Mining, a Canadian gold mining company with operations in Colombia, Uruguay and Chile, which is listed in the London and Toronto stock markets, and in which he worked as CEO and CFO for 12 years.
Salazar had previously pursued an 18-year international career in oil and gas exploration and production with Royal Dutch Shell, where he led new business development and finance teams in countries such as the UK, Germany, Denmark and Argentina, as well as working in headquarters in London and The Hague. Following his tenure at Shell, in 2008 he joined Orosur Mining, where he was appointed CEO in 2013, until joining Highfield.
Ignacio has extensive experience in the exploration, development, construction and operation of open pit and underground mines, as well as in the development of local relations with communities and governments, and international relations within the industry and in the capital markets from London, Europe and North America, both raising capital and in mergers and acquisitions.
Educated at the University of Deusto (Bilbao) where he completed his master’s degrees in Economics and Business and Law, Salazar initially worked in companies such as Hidrola (now Iberdrola) in Madrid, and Management Horizons in London.