Dan Betts
Executive Chairman
Biography
Dan founded Hummingbird in November 2005. After graduating from Nottingham University he worked for Accenture Management Consultants until he joined the Betts family business in 2000. Founded in 1760, the family business is the oldest privately-owned gold bullion smelters and refiners in the country. The company has a long history of trading across the world and in dealing in all areas of the precious metal industry. Since founding Hummingbird, Dan has successfully taken the Company from a grassroots exploration business to a listed, producing mining firm.
Geoff Eyre
Chief Executive Officer
Biography
Geoff Eyre is an experienced executive with extensive expertise in corporate finance, operations, and strategic leadership, particularly in the mining sector. He has significant experience in West African gold mining and has led several successful operational turnarounds.
Geoff is the former CFO of Adriatic Metals plc, where he guided the company through rapid growth, including its LSE listing and securing construction financing. He also served as CFO of Avesoro Resources Inc., a formerly TSX and AIM listed West African gold miner, where he led the turnaround of the New Liberty mine in Liberia and oversaw operations at two other gold mines. His expertise in strategic finance, operational leadership, and resource sector management positions him to enable growth and navigate complex mining operations, making him well-equipped to lead companies through periods of transformation.
Geoff is a qualified Chartered Accountant (ICAEW), Member of the Institute of Directors and originally trained as a Graduate Engineer.
Thomas Hill
Finance Director
Biography
Thomas joined the Company as Chief Financial Officer in September 2010 and was appointed as Finance Director in July 2012. Prior to this Thomas was a senior manager within BDO LLP’s natural resources department, where he worked extensively with quoted mining and exploration companies and was involved with numerous flotations and other corporate transactions. He has a metallurgy, economics and management degree from Trinity College, Oxford, qualified as a chartered accountant with BDO LLP in 2001, and in 2023 was appointed as the Honorary Treasurer of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IMMM)
Ernie Nutter
Non-Executive Director
Committee
- Audit
- Technical Advisory
Biography
Ernie is a highly regarded mining analyst, formerly with one of the world’s largest money managers, Capital Group, from 2004 until his retirement in 2017. Prior to this, he spent over 13 years with the Royal Bank of Canada where he was Managing Director of RBC Capital Markets, Director of RBC’s Global Mining Research team and former Chairman of RBC Dominion Securities’ (now RBC Capital Markets) Strategic Planning Committee. Ernie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from Dalhousie University and sits on the Technical Advisory Committee.
Attie Roux
Non-Executive Director
Committee
- Technical Advisory
Biography
Adriaan (Attie) Roux is a Metallurgical Engineer with over 40 years’ Operational, Technical and Executive Management experience in the Mining Industry. Attie was previously the COO of Endeavour Mining where he was instrumental in its development and growth. He has been internal director in a number of Companies such as Anglogold Ashanti and Endeavour. He is a Registered Professional with the SA Council for Natural Scientific Professions. Attie also serves as Chairman of the Technical Advisory Committee.
David Straker-Smith
Non-Executive Director
Committee
- Audit
Biography
David Straker-Smith is a Director of CrossBorder Capital Ltd, which he joined in April 1999. CrossBorder Capital is a London-based investment research and advisory firm regulated by the FCA. Previously, he worked at ING Barings Securities Ltd from 1996 to 1999, where he was Head of Equity Sales for Eastern Europe, and at Gerrard & National Holdings plc from 1980 until 1995, a firm which operated as a discount house, futures broker, money broker, stockbroker and fund manager. During his time at Gerrard & National Holdings plc, he became a main Board Director and active Fund Manager. He is a Director of New Vision Management Limited, a Dublin regulated management company, and a Director of Nomad Energy UK Limited.
Stephen Betts
Non-Executive Director
Committee
- Audit
Biography
Stephen co-founded Hummingbird Resources in November 2005. He has over 40 years’ experience in trading with gold and related businesses in developing countries, having established several businesses in West Africa during his career. He is the Chairman of the Stephen Betts group of companies. The family business has over 250 years’ history in smelting, refining and bullion dealing.
Oumar Toguyeni
Non-Executive Director
Biography
Oumar Toguyeni is an accomplished global mining executive with over 35 years of experience in the international mining sector. Over the course of his career, Mr Toguyeni has held senior leadership positions at leading mining companies, including BHP Billiton, Alcoa Inc., and IAMGOLD. He began his career as an exploration geologist in Burkina Faso and has since built an extensive portfolio across Africa, Europe, North and South America, the Caribbean, and Canada.
Tracey Fung
Company Secretary
Biography
Responsible for the company secretarial and corporate governance matters
BSc in Economics and MSc in Management. Chartered secretary and a member of the Chartered Governance Institute UK and Ireland
The Company is subject to the corporate governance regime of the United Kingdom. The Directors acknowledge the importance of the guidelines set out in the Corporate Governance Code and the QCA Guidelines and therefore intend to comply with these so far as is appropriate having regard to the size and nature of the Company.
Board
The board currently comprises six members, two of whom are executive. The board meets regularly and is responsible for strategy, performance, approval of major capital projects and the framework of internal controls. To enable the board to discharge its duties, all Directors receive appropriate and timely information. Briefing papers are distributed to all Directors in advance of board meetings, and all Directors have access to the advice and services of the Company Secretary. The Articles of Association provide that Directors will be subject to re-election at the first opportunity after their appointment and they will voluntarily submit to re-election at intervals of three years. The Board is supported in its decision making by four committees:
The Audit Committee
The Audit Committee oversees and reviews the Company’s financial reporting and internal control processes, its relationship with external auditors and the conduct of the audit process together with its process for ensuring compliance with laws, regulations and corporate governance. The Company’s external auditors are invited to attend the meetings of the Committee on a regular basis. The Audit Committee comprises David Straker-Smith (Chairman) and Ernie Nutter.
The Technical Advisory Committee
The Technical Advisory Committee acts as an independent body of experts for Hummingbird in order to establish formal and transparent arrangements to assist the Group in assessing and guiding technical and operational performance. The TAC comprises Attie Roux (Chairman), Ernie Nutter and Wayne Galea, the Group Processing Manager.
The Remuneration Committee
The Remuneration Committee is responsible for determining the framework and policy for the remuneration of the Group’s Chairman and the executive directors including pension rights and compensation payments. The Committee is also responsible for making recommendations as to the level and structure of remuneration for senior management. The Remuneration Committee comprises David Straker-Smith (Chairman) and Ernie Nutter.
The ESG Committee
The ESG Committee acts as an independent body of experts to establish formal and transparent arrangements for considering how the Board should assist Hummingbird to implement Group policies and manage risks relating to occupational and community health and safety, environmental performance and compliance, social performance, stakeholder relations and political risk. Composition of the ESG Committee was refreshed recently and currently comprises David Straker-Smith (Chairman) and Attie Roux. In addition to the Board ESG Committee, an internal Management ESG Committee was established in Q3 2023, led by the Group ESG Manager supported by site level ESG managers. The Management ESG Committee typically meets once a week.
Geoff Eyre
Chief Executive Officer
Biography
Geoff Eyre is an experienced executive with extensive expertise in corporate finance, operations, and strategic leadership, particularly in the mining sector. He has significant experience in West African gold mining and has led several successful operational turnarounds.
Geoff is the former CFO of Adriatic Metals plc, where he guided the company through rapid growth, including its LSE listing and securing construction financing. He also served as CFO of Avesoro Resources Inc., a formerly TSX and AIM listed West African gold miner, where he led the turnaround of the New Liberty mine in Liberia and oversaw operations at two other gold mines. His expertise in strategic finance, operational leadership, and resource sector management positions him to enable growth and navigate complex mining operations, making him well-equipped to lead companies through periods of transformation.
Geoff is a qualified Chartered Accountant (ICAEW), Member of the Institute of Directors and originally trained as a Graduate Engineer.
Thomas Hill
Finance Director
Biography
Thomas joined the Company as Chief Financial Officer in September 2010 and was appointed as Finance Director in July 2012. Prior to this Thomas was a senior manager within BDO LLP’s natural resources department, where he worked extensively with quoted mining and exploration companies and was involved with numerous flotations and other corporate transactions. He has a metallurgy, economics and management degree from Trinity College, Oxford, qualified as a chartered accountant with BDO LLP in 2001, and in 2023 was appointed as the Honorary Treasurer of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IMMM)
Saidou Idé
REGIONAL DIRECTOR, WEST AFRICA
Biography
Saidou is experienced in mine management, having worked inthe industry for over 20 years. Prior to joining Hummingbird in 2016, Saidou held senior positions within administration and finance for companies including Avocet, Resolute and Glencore. He is well-versed in operating in West Africa, with superb governmental relations and knowledge of labour codes and financial institutions. Saidou holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Quebec, Canada.
Timothy Huskinson
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Biography
Tim joined the Hummingbird team in April 2011 and has been responsible for implementing the accounting and reporting structures within the Group. In July 2014, he oversaw the integration of the Yanfolila Gold Project companies. Tim qualified as a chartered accountant with BDO LLP in 2009 and has 10 years’ accountancy experience, covering a range of sectors, including natural resource and engineering. He has extensive experience of IFRS and complex international groups, and has taken Hummingbird through exploration, development, and now construction phases. He has an MEng degree with distinction from Nottingham University in Electrical & Electronic Engineering with management studies.
Edward Montgomery
MANAGING DIRECTOR, CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT
Biography
Edward Montgomery (aka ‘Monty’) is an Australian Certified Chartered Accountant and has over 20 years experience in global financial markets. Monty spent time in Melbourne Australia, San Francisco, New York, USA and London UK. After working with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Monty moved on to global equity markets working in several key roles including: Sell-side equity analyst with Goldman Sachs in London and New York; buy-side equity analyst with Ospraie Asset Management, NYC; AsiaPac equity sales with Credit-Suisse London and the last six years with Canaccord Genuity as their resources specialty sales person in London.
Monty not only brings a wealth of experience and contacts in global equity markets and the resources sector, but, having been an analyst in the global renewable sector he brings with him experience and passion for environmental, social and governance (‘ESG’) to Hummingbird Resources
Luke Main
MANAGING DIRECTOR, PEOPLE
Biography
Luke has been working with the Hummingbird team since 2020 and has been responsible for supporting the Executive Committee in designing and implementing the Group’s people strategy and organisational structure, as well as embedding processes and procedures to improve overall company performance, with specific focus on performance management and culture. Luke has over 20 years of industry and consulting experience, working across global Aviation, Hospitality, Mining and Retail sectors. He was formerly Vice President, Global Strategy and Corporate Development at InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and Principal Management Consultant at Oliver Wyman and Accenture.
Belinda van Lente
Group Mineral Resource Manager
Biography
+15 years’ experience in the mining industry’s consulting and production departments, with extensive experience in Mineral Resources estimation, specialising in West African gold deposits
PhD (Geology), University of Stellenbosch, South Africa
Costa Panidis
General Manager (Yanfolia Gold Mine)
Biography
Costa joined the SMK.SA team (Yanfolila Gold Mine), of Hummingbird Resources company in August 2022 as General Manager. He has 35 years of mining experience across a number of commodities and countries with 14 years specifically in gold with Normandy Mining Ltd and Newcrest Mining Ltd.
Costa holds a Mining Engineering (Honours) from the University of Sydney (1988). He also has a Graduate Certificate in Management from the Australian Graduate School of Management.
David Sagara
Process Plant Manager (Yanfolia Gold Mine)
Biography
David joined the SMK.SA team (Yanfolila Gold Mine), of Hummingbird Resources company in October 2022 as Process Plant Manager. He has 12 years of metallurgical experience in the gold industry and has held various positions since 2011, including as: Metallurgical Technician, Plant metallurgist, Senior metallurgical Engineer, Process Plant Superintendent and Plant Manager when he was with Rand Gold Resources and Endeavour at Complex Loulo-Gounkoto and Tabakoto gold mines respectively.
David holds a Minerals Processing Engineering degree, from Saint Petersburg State Mining University, Russia obtained in 2010. He has also management studies certificates in Finance, Business and Leadership from the Graduate School of Business-University of Cape Town.
Aya Garibou
SHEC Manager (Yanfolila Gold Mine)
Biography
Aya has over 25 years experience in the mining industry. Aya was with AngloGold Ashanti from 1996 up to June 2019 before joining Hummingbird Resources Plc. Aya has held various roles including as: Process plant operator, shift foreman, safety Officer, lead auditor, safety superintendent.
Aya’s extensive mining industry, local African expertise and leadership skills on site are critical in insuring our ongoing strong health and safety track record are maintained.
Marcé Jacobs
Project Manager (Kouroussa Gold Mine)
Biography
Marcé obtained his BEng Mechanical Engineering Degree from the University of Pretoria. Since 2017 he worked extensively on turnkey execution projects in West Africa. During this time he was instrumental in successfully delivering the following gold mines in Guinea and Mali: Yanfolila and Tri-K and Kouroussa. These projects were all diligently executed on schedule and within budget. During his time in West Africa, Marcé managed to establish and promote solid relationships with major stakeholders. Marcé was recently the Project Manager, effectively managing the Kouroussa Gold Project from the design into the operational phase. He will continue to advance his expertise and apply his skillset within the Hummingbird group.
