Management Team
The foundation of our business is the Management Team, which comprises an experienced group of professional geologists with complementary skills across a broad range of commodities and countries. The local and international Management Team is all South America based and has been in every case for at least 10 years, with a proven track record of discovery and strong local relations with government and in the communities in which we work. Our Management Team is overseen by an internationally experienced Board with depth of experience in the capital markets and exploration to mine development.
Miles Thompson BSc (Hons)
Chairman
Miles is an exploration geologist, with over 30 years’ experience working on natural resource projects around the globe, including precious and base metals, industrial minerals, oil & gas and renewable energy. He is a co-founder of Lara Exploration, Reservoir Capital (REO.V) and Reservoir Minerals (RMC.V). Miles and his team at Reservoir Minerals were winners of the Thayer Lindsley Award at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada in 2016 for the world class Cukaru Peki copper-gold discovery in Serbia, with the company acquired by Nevsun for US$513m later the same year. Prior to founding Lara in 2006, Miles was Manager of Business Development at Gold Fields Exploration, where his responsibilities included working on joint ventures and acquisitions in the Americas, Africa and Eurasia.
Simon Ingram PhD
President, CEO, Director
Simon Ingram is a senior international executive with strong technical and public company leadership experience, which he gained during over 25 years working globally in natural resource industries. Simon was a co-founder of Reservoir Capital (REO.V) and Reservoir Minerals (RMC.V). As President, CEO and Director of Reservoir Minerals, Simon and his team were awarded the 2016 Thayer Lindsley Award for the discovery of the Cukaru Peki copper gold deposit in the Timok District of Serbia by Reservoir and JV partners Freeport-McMoRan. The Reservoir team were also recognized by the UK Mining Journal Outstanding Achievement Awards for the best Small and Mid-Cap Deal of the Year in 2016, having created over US$ 500m of value for Reservoir shareholders after a business combination with Nevsun Resources. Simon holds an exploration and mining geology B.Sc. and mineral resource evaluation focused Ph.D. from Cardiff University.
Michael Bennell BSc, MSc, MAusIMM
Vice President Exploration
Michael, a graduate of the University of Tasmania (Australia), with a M.Sc. from the Cambourne School of Mines (UK), was until June 2006 Exploration Manager at the Crixás Gold Mine in Goiás State for AngloGold Ashanti Brasil Ltda. Mr. Bennell has a track record of exploration success for both gold and base metals in Australia, Brazil and West Africa. In Brazil he made the initial discovery of the Boa Vista nickel deposit in Goiás. In West Africa, working for BHP between 1988 and 1999, he was directly involved in the discovery of five gold deposits: Belahouro and Essakan in Burkina Faso, Kubi and Mampon-Aboronye in Ghana and Tongon in the Ivory Coast and worked on many other deposits in West Africa including the gold deposits of Morila and Syama (both in Mali), Fayalala in Guinea and the Syola laterite nickel deposit (Ivory Coast).
Christopher MacIntyre B.Comm (Hons)
Vice President, Corporate Development
Chris is a Commerce Business graduate from Queen’s University (Canada), and previously served as the Vice President Corporate Development for the Company Reservoir Minerals Inc. (TSXV: RMC) prior to the sale to Nevsun Resources (TSX: NSU). His primary responsibilities include corporate and project finance, strategic development, and corporate communications. Previously he was Manager, Corporate Development with Universal Power Corp. (TSXV:UNX).
Kim Casswell
Corporate Secretary
Since 1994, Kim has been the Corporate Secretary of several public companies listed on the TSX Venture Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange. Ms. Casswell has played an important role in the growth of these companies and is familiar with regulations governing public companies in several jurisdictions.
Bill Tsang
Chief Financial Officer
Bill brings more than 15 years of accounting experience in the mineral exploration and mining industry focusing on financial reporting, regulatory compliance, internal controls, and corporate finance activities. Bill has held numerous CFO positions with publicly traded entities. He has worked in public practice providing professional services and advice to publicly traded companies on the NYSE, TSX-V and OTC markets, on various public reporting services, such as audit requirements, qualifying transactions for reverse takeover, mergers and acquisitions, and financing transactions. Bill holds a bachelor of commerce from the University of British Columbia and is a chartered professional accountant and chartered accountant.
Helio Ikeda
Project Manager Brazil
Helio is a co-founder of Lara's Brazilian business, an exploration geologist and environmental engineer with over forty years experience in Brazil as an investor, consultant and technical manager. Helio worked previously with Vale, Billiton (now part of BHP Billiton), Barrick and has consulted for a wide range of mining and exploration companies.