The Team
The Pallinghurst team has collectively over 250 years of experience in senior management and development of mining companies, private equity as well as natural resources investment banking.
We have a proven track record and an in-depth industry knowledge of assets, companies, people and trends. As a team, we pride ourselves on being recognised for our strategic insight and vision, decades of value creation, being highly regarded by international investors, and our trademark of pioneering innovative and sustainable transactions.
Since our formation in 2006, The Pallinghurst Group’s ethos has been built on integrity, sustainability, teamwork and leadership. Through those four pillars, The Pallinghurst Group is focused on providing its investors with superior and sustainable returns.
Our four partners are Brian Gilbertson, the Non-Executive Chairman, Arne H. Frandsen and Andrew Willis, the Managing Partners, and Chris Shepherd, Partner and Managing Director.
The Partners provide The Pallinghurst Group with leadership and strategic guidance as well as hands-on management and execution oversight. As a team, the Partners have complementary skills and experience providing a unique skillset which in turn unlocks and maximises the potential of its portfolio companies. Through a unique hands-on approach, the Pallinghurst Team provides management and oversight which in turn maximises value for the benefit of all our stakeholders.
The Partners are supported by an experienced team of the highest calibre professionals. The complementary skills of the professional individuals of the Pallinghurst Team, provides a complete knowledge base which enables us to do our asset evaluations, deal execution as well as ongoing management in house.
In addition to its core team, Pallinghurst has identified a group of highly qualified senior mining professionals as well as experienced financial managers, who will be available to become direct employees of the companies Pallinghurst invests in – if and when such needs are required.
The Pallinghurst Group has offices located in London, the Channel Islands and Canada.
Partners
Brian Gilbertson
Brian Gilbertson has extensive experience in the global natural resources industry. He has held senior positions in many leading companies including as Managing Director of Rustenburg Platinum, Chief Executive of Gencor Limited, BHP Billiton and Vedanta Resources.
In 2004 he founded Incwala Resources, a pioneering Black Economic Empowerment corporation in South Africa, and was its first chairman until March 2006. In 2004, Mr Gilbertson joined SUAL, an aluminium producer in Russia and led the company into the US$30 billion merger with RUSAL and the alumina assets of Glencore, creating the largest aluminium company in the world. Mr Gilbertson is the Non-Executive Chairman of The Pallinghurst Group and Chairman of Jupiter Mines, in which Pallinghurst is an investor.
Arne H. Frandsen
Having studied Law in Europe, Africa and Asia, Mr Frandsen holds a Masters in Law. Arne Frandsen has over ten years’ of investment banking experience with Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan, providing strategic advice and structuring mergers and acquisitions as well as corporate finance transactions for clients in 30 different countries, raising in excess of US$20 billion of capital.
In 2005, he left investment banking in order to become the Chief Executive Officer of Incwala Resources, one of South Africa’s leading Black Economic Empowerment mining companies. Mr Frandsen joined The Pallinghurst Group in 2006 and is a Managing Partner as well as the Chairman of Sedibelo Platinum Mines and director of Nouveau Monde Graphite – The Pallinghurst Group holds investments in both companies.
Andrew Willis
Andrew Willis has over 15 years’ experience in international finance, structuring and private equity. He started his professional career as an accountant in New Zealand and after moving to Europe spent three years with pan-European private equity investment manager Candover Investments.
He studied at INSEAD and was awarded an MBA before joining The Pallinghurst Group in 2006 and is a Managing Partner, as well as a director of Sedibelo Platinum Mines.
Christopher Shepherd
Chris Shepherd joined Pallinghurst in 2010 and has 20 years’ experience in international finance, investment banking and private equity. He is a former investment banker and has extensive experience in transaction origination, structuring and execution in the mining sector.
Chris is a Chartered Accountant and prior to joining Pallinghurst, Chris worked for Deutsche Bank, Merrill Lynch and KPMG Corporate Finance. Chris is also a director of Nouveau Monde Graphite, in which Pallinghurst is an investor.
Mining / Engineering
Spiro Pippos
Mining Engineer Spiro Pippos oversees our mining engineering and mine management upstream effort. Spiro is Australian and holds an MBA from London Business School.
In addition, he earned a Bachelor of Engineering (Mining) with honours as well as a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) from University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Prior to joining Pallinghurst, for more than a decade, Spiro has worked within the mining sector. His experience range from “hands-on” mining engineering and operational management to corporate finance and advisory.
Within corporate finance, he was a senior member of the team of a leading independent financial and investment firm focussed on natural resources. He was responsible for generating and executing corporate financial advisory, M&A, capital raising and financial restructuring mandates across the natural resources space. Spiro led corporate finance efforts on a wide range of mining projects and companies in Europe, Asia, Africa, South America and Australia.
Corporate Finance
Sean Thijsse
Sean Thijsse joined Pallinghurst in 2011 and has been an integral part of Pallinghurst’s corporate finance team for the past 8 years. Specifically, he headed the execution of Pallinghurst’s Steel Making Materials strategy which resulted in building the Tshipi manganese mine into the single largest manganese mine in South Africa and the top five in the world.
Sean worked on numerous M&A transactions within all of Pallinghurst’s investment segments. In addition, he has focused on capital market and capital raisings activities – including managing the successful IPO of Jupiter Mines Limited on the ASX in 2018 – which was one of the largest mining IPO in the past decade. Within the battery materials space, Sean is focussed on the corporate finance, capital markets and structuring elements of Pallinghurst’s investment activities.
Sean is a CFA charterholder and attended Stellenbosch University in South Africa earning a Bachelor of Commerce in investment management and financial accounting as well as Honours in financial analysis. Sean is a South African and Dutch citizen.
Metallurgy
Zama Ntombela
Metallurgist Zama Ntombela is in charge of our processing and downstream analysis. Zama is South African and has earned a master’s degree in Management of Finance and Investment (Wits Business School). She also holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Metallurgical Engineering) – First Class & Honours (University of Pretoria).
Prior to joining Pallinghurst, Zama worked in the IDC’s Natural Resources team where she was a successful “Deal Maker”, having done in excess of 20 metals and mining related deals in a number of different countries. Before joining the IDC, she worked as a metallurgical engineer for Outotec and Glencore.
Not only will Zama be bringing additional expertise in metallurgy and financial analysis, but her proven deal due-diligence skills will support our execution capabilities.
Zama is a member of the South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, as well as Women in Mining South Africa.
Geology
Alex Middleton
Geologist Alex Middleton is spearheading our geological analysis. Alex is British and earned a PhD with a focus on geochemistry as well as natural resource research and development from University of Queensland, Australia. Before that, he earned a MSci (Hons) in Earth Science and Engineering from Imperial College London.
Prior to joining Pallinghurst, Alex worked in London for a metals trading firm. He comes with experience in technical due diligence for mining acquisitions, metal off-take agreements and corporate disposals. In addition, Alexander has been part of equity and debt finance projects and mining project development (drilling program design and mineral processing). He has worked on projects across a range of different jurisdictions in the Americas, Europe and Africa.
Before commencing his finance advisory career, Alex worked for the Geological Survey of Finland in Helsinki. In that position he conducted research, quantitative analysis and statistical data interpretation, as well as preparing documentation of research for industry and international publication.
HR and Operations
Alice Coslett
Human Resources and Operations Manager Alice Coslett delivers wide ranging expertise to The Pallinghurst Group. Alongside managing these fundamental personnel processes, her role extends to supporting the Finance Team and advising Management.
Since joining the Group in 2011, Alice has become an integral member of the team. She has been instrumental in implementing and refining operations to ensure that the Group functions efficiently and effectively.
Alice holds a BA (Hons) in Sociology from the University of Kent in the UK, and a Chartered Institute of Professional Development (CIPD) qualification in Human Resources Management (Level Three). She is an Associate Member of the CIPD.
Investments
Richard Dudley
Associate Richard Dudley conducts research and financial analysis for the investment and corporate finance team on both prospective and existing Pallinghurst projects. He is also an integral member of the finance team and assists with the servicing of Pallinghurst’s investors and strategic partners.
Richard attended the University of Cape Town in South Africa and earned a Bachelor of Commerce in accounting as well as Honours in financial analysis and portfolio management. Richard is a South African and British citizen.
Richard has worked on past transactions at Pallinghurst including the Pallinghurst Resources takeover of Gemfields and the subsequent restructuring of Pallinghurst’s coloured gemstones strategy in 2017. Prior to joining Pallinghurst, Richard held several finance positions, including at a FTSE100 construction company.
Compliance
Anthony Payne
Chief Compliance Officer Anthony Payne is in charge of regulatory compliance throughout The Pallinghurst Group, along with ensuring the group adheres to positive ESG practices and global tax regimes.
Prior to joining Pallinghurst in 2010, Anthony spent five years with a top UK corporate service provider, focusing on share registration and investment trusts, and established an in-house online share dealing facility for all listed company shareholders. Anthony then spent the next six years with a leading global investment manager, focusing on daily trading of UK and European mutual funds. Following that, Anthony project managed the development of IT solutions to support regulatory compliance alongside cost saving initiatives for the global back-office functions.
Anthony qualified with the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators in UK Company Secretarial Practice at the Kensington College of Business, London.
Anthony brings to the group 20 years of experience in the financial services industry including regulatory compliance, share registration, investment management and private equity.
Accounting
Timene Stemmet
Group Accountant Timene Stemmet joined Pallinghurst in 2009 and manages the financial accounting for various offices across the Group.
Timene holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting Science from the University of South Africa, has four years of audit experience and fifteen years of financial and cost accounting experience within a variety of sectors including financial services, media and hospitality.
Business Management
Eve James
UK Business Manager Eve James joined The Pallinghurst Group in 2018 providing varied administrative support to the London Team, including senior members within the core investment and compliance teams.
Prior to joining Pallinghurst, Eve worked in a private family office and luxury yacht charter brokerage, bringing with her extensive experience in secretarial support, HNW client management and operational coordination, together with two foreign languages. Eve attended the University of Nottingham in the UK and earned a Bachelor of Arts with Combined Honours in Politics, Spanish and French.
Carissa Mosser O'Neill
Channel Islands Business Manager Carissa Mosser O’Neill provides high-level secretarial, administrative and information management support to Andrew Willis and the wider team.
Carissa holds a BA (Hons), degree in Geography, Business and the Environment from the University of Nottingham in the UK and a Post Graduate Diploma in Surveying (PGDipSurv), from the University of Reading College of Estate Management. Carissa studied to become an Associate Member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (AssocRICS) whilst working in her previous role as a Commercial Surveyor.
Ulandi Langhein
Ulandi has over 30 years of experience in various disciplines such as Business, Financial and Project Management as well as Operating Excellence and Community engagement.
She joined Pallinghurst in November 2008. Her main focus is on governance and compliance issues for southern Africa and the rendering of high level strategic and administrative support to the Chief Executive. She is also involved in research, investor, media and stakeholder relations and intellectual property security for the Pallinghurst Group.
Ulandi holds a Diploma in Commerce from the Technikon of the Witwatersrand and a Diploma in Project Management (Cum Laude) from the University of South Africa. She has received Six Sigma certification to lead improvement projects and has been endorsed by Oxfam Australia to deliver people-centred community development training programs in regard to community engagement, dialogue and community-based human rights impact assessments.
