Board & Management

LUIS da SILVA

CEO and Managing Director – B. Eng (Mining Engineering), ACSM, MBA

An experienced metals and mining executive and director having served as CEO of listed companies and at a senior level in multinationals.  Mr. da Silva has a proven track record in value creation for shareholders by forging relationships and managing complex entities with large, international joint venture partners. He is a graduate Mining Engineer from the Camborne School of Mines and received his M.B.A. from the Cranfield School of Management.

IAN FARMER

Non Executive Chairman – B.Compt (Hons), C.A.(S.A)

Mr Farmer is a UK based, highly experienced mining executive. He served as Chief Executive Officer of Lonmin, the third largest platinum miner globally, between 2008 and 2012, where he oversaw a period of significant transformation, both operationally and financially. During his 26 years at Lonmin and its parent company Lonrho, Mr Farmer held various other financial and strategic positions, including Chief Strategy Officer from 2006-2008.

Mr Farmer led the acquisition of various junior mining projects and integrated them into the group. He has been a Non-Executive Director of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust in the UK since 2014, and previously was a Non-Executive Director of VTTI Energy Partners LP (2014 – 2017). Ian Farmer is considered to be an independent Director.

LEN JUBBER

Non-Executive Director – B(Civil) Eng, MBA

Len Jubber was Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of Bannerman Resources Ltd, an ASX listed uranium development company for eight years. Prior roles include Managing Director/Chief Executive of Perilya Ltd, an ASX listed zinc and lead producer, and Chief Operating Officer of Oceana Gold Ltd. He started his career with Rio Tinto in Namibia. In a mining career spanning more than 30 years, he brings a wealth of technical, commercial and corporate experience. Len Jubber is considered to be an independent Director.

DR REINOUT KOOPMANS

Non-Executive Director – PhD, MSc, Drs

Dr Koopmans spent 15 years in investment banking, based in London. He was responsible globally for public equity raising for natural resource companies at Deutsche Bank and he led the European equity capital markets team at Jefferies International. In the 1990’s, Reinout was a management consultant with McKinsey & Co in Germany and South-East Asia. He has significant business experience in Germany. Reinout has a PhD and Masters degree from the London School of Economics, and a degree from Erasmus University, Rotterdam.

Dr Koopmans is a Member of South Harz Potash’s Nomination Committee and the Chairman of South Harz Potash’s Remuneration Committee. Reinout Koopmans is considered to be an independent Director.

RORY LUFF

Non-Executive Director – BCom

Mr Rory Luff is a current Non-Executive Director of South Harz Potash Limited. He is the founder of BW Equities, a specialist Melbourne equities advisory firm and has over 15 years experience in the financial services industry. Rory has spent most of his career in the financial markets advising resources companies on capital raisings and financial markets strategy.

Rory Luff is Chair of South Harz Potash’s Nomination Committee and a Member of South Harz Potash’s Audit & Risk Committee and Remuneration Committee. Rory Luff is not considered to be an independent Director.

SEAMUS CORNELIUS

Non-Executive Director 

Mr Cornelius is the current Executive Chairman of Danakali Limited (ASX:DNK) (Danakali), a role he has held since July 2013. Over that time he led the advancement of Danakali’s 50% interest in the Colluli Potash Project in Eritrea including the completion of progressive feasibility studies, environmental impact assessments and regulatory approvals, to its eventual sale to Sichuan Road and Bridge Group Co Ltd in early 2023 for US$166 million in total cash consideration.

Mr Cornelius is a corporate lawyer and former partner of one of Australia’s leading international law firms. He brings extensive legal and commercial experience in the execution of cross-border transactions, particularly in the resources and finance sectors.

Mr Cornelius is currently also the Non-Executive Chairman of Buxton Resources Limited (ASX:BUX), Element 25 Limited (ASX:E25), Duketon Mining Limited (ASX:DKM) and he is a Non-Executive Director of First Tin PLC (LON:1SN).

LAWRENCE BERTHELET

Chief Operating Officer – B. Sc (Chem. Eng.) ; MBA

Lawrence Berthelet  is an experienced potash mining and processing expert. He was Head of Mining Division at EuroChem. Prior to that he held several senior management roles across seven years at potash major, The Mosaic Company. Preceding that, Lawrence held the roles of Vice President, Potash (Global Mining and Metallurgy) and General Manager, Saskatoon, at SNC-Lavalin across a period of five years. Prior to this, he held senior positions at Agrium (now Nutrien) and Saskatchewan Minerals.

ANDREW ROBERTSON

Chief Financial Officer – BSc, FCA

Andrew Robertson is a UK Chartered Accountant and Economics graduate. He has previously been CFO at Board level of two AIM listed and two TSX listed companies- Ecometals Ltd (manganese), African Eagle PLC (nickel), White Tiger Gold, Maple Minerals Canada (lead/zinc) and Laporte PLC based in Germany. In his career spanning over 30 years, he has accumulated significant experience in project evaluation and fund raising – both equity and debt, business efficiency and restructuring steps, and implementation and improvements in financial controls and reporting.

DR BABETTE WINTER

Regional Director & Managing Director of Südharz Kali GmbH– PhD, Dipl.-Chem

Babette Winter holds a PhD in chemistry and enriches the company with a broad professional experience in politics, communication, public administration as well as environmental issues and technology. Among other things, she served as Thuringia’s State Secretary for Europe for more than 5 years, headed the department for environmental policy in the Thuringian Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Nature Conservation and before that headed public relations, press and citizen information in the State Environment Agency of North Rhine-Westphalia. In 2019 she was a member of the European Parliament.