Mike has 41 years of commercial experience, mainly in mining finance and mining investment. He began his career in Sydney as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG before moving into investment banking with the HSBC Group and then Kleinwort Benson Limited in London.

From 1993 to 2007, he was part of the natural resources advisory and investment firm, RFC Group Limited, where he became Joint Managing Director. From 2010 until 2019, Mike was a partner with the private equity mining fund manager, Pacific Road Capital Management, and since 2019 has served in various Non-Executive Director roles. He is currently the Non-Executive Chairman of Akora Resources Limited, Base Resources Limited and a Director of Southern Palladium Limited.

Mike holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Cape Town and is a qualified Chartered Accountant in Australia.

Stephen is a Construction Engineering Management Economist with over 25 years experience.

His professional experience includes feasibility studies, advisory services and financial and socioeconomic analysis for megaprojects in engineering infrastructure and economic development, financed by organisations such as World Bank’s IBRD, UNDP, EU, Millennium Challenge Corporation, USAID, Kuwait Fund, AfDB and DBSA.

Stephen’s extensive experience as a Board Member includes 14-years representing the Governments of United States of America in Lesotho, Chairman and member of committees on Investment & Property, Human Capital and FRACO for JSE listed subsidiary company Metropolitan Insurance-Lesotho, and socio-economic portfolio lead and Chairman of the Lesotho Highlands Development Project (LHDA).

Stephen is a PhD Researcher in Construction Management and Economics with the University of Witwatersrand. He holds a BSc (Hons) in Business Economics and Masters in Economics from the Canadian Universities of Dalhousie and university of Alberta. He has also received management training from McGill University of Canada and Cranfield University of Great Britain. He is a member of the Institute of Directors of South Africa.

Grant was appointed as Chief Financial Officer of the Firestone Group in 2012. Tasked with improving financial systems, controls, and reporting, he led the restructuring of the Firestone Group to focus on its primary asset, the Liqhobong Mine in Lesotho.
A key member of the team behind the +US$200 million Liqhobong expansion project, Grant was instrumental in securing project debt financing, and ensured that sufficient funding was in place throughout construction and ramp-up to commercial production. The construction project was completed within the original cost budget.

Grant is a Chartered Accountant with 23 years of experience, including 16 years in the mining industry. He has extensive expertise in equity and capital management, restructuring, stock exchange and regulatory requirements, multi-jurisdictional reporting and tax management. Before joining Firestone, he served as the Group Financial Controller for Mwana Africa plc (subsequently ASA Resources Group plc), an AIM-listed junior mining company with assets in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and the DRC.

Grant holds an Honours Bachelor of Accounting Science degree from the University of South Africa and is a member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Ian is part of the senior leadership team and attends all Board meetings by invitation in his capacity as secretary, and general counsel to the Board. He was Admitted as an attorney of the High Court of South Africa in March 2000 and has more than 20 years of experience in the mining industry, during which he worked for De Beers and Anglo-American in senior corporate counsel roles before joining Firestone Diamonds as general counsel in May 2015 as part of the owner’s team responsible for the construction and bringing the Liqhobong Mine into production.

He is an experienced corporate, and commercial mining lawyer with extensive multi-jurisdictional experience in mineral exploration, mine development, project finance, debt restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, and various regulatory regimes. In 2020 he was appointed as the Chief Legal Officer and Group Secretary when Firestone Diamonds delisted from the London Stock Exchange’s AIM.

In September 2023 he was appointed as Chief Strategy and Legal Officer. Ian holds a BProc and LLB from Nelson Mandela University and a Masters (LLM) in Corporate and Competition Law from the University of South Africa.

Motsi Chele is a Metallurgical Engineer with a solid background in engineering principles. He holds a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering (University of Cape Town) and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Project Management (University of Stellenbosch) and is currently completing a Master of Business Administration qualification (University of Witwatersrand).

Motsi has over 15 years of experience in the mining industry. He began his career with former Lonmin Platinum where he was involved in various areas including concentrator plant operations, technical services and research and development. Subsequently, he worked for Minopex and Storm Mountain Diamonds, which are both situated in Lesotho.

Motsi has been with Liqhobong Mining Development Company since late 2016 and leverages his experience in his areas of responsibility that include processing, engineering and maintenance, infrastructure, technical projects, and tailings management.