Jonathan Challis
Director
Mr. Jonathan Challis is a mining engineer with over 30 years experience in the operation, management, financing and analysis of mining projects around the world. Mr. Challis has an honours degree in Mineral Exploitation from University College, Cardiff and an MBA degree from Cranfield School of Management. He has both the South African Metalliferous Mine Captain’s and Mine Manager’s Certificates of Competency. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Materials, Minerals and Mining and a Chartered Engineer.
Mr. Challis started his professional life as a Mining Engineer with Gold Fields of South Africa Limited in 1974 before returning to Europe where he worked as a mining analyst for James Capel & Co; Banque de la Societe Financiere Europeenne (BSFE) and Barclays Bank Ltd. At BSFE and Barclays, he was involved in the analysis and structuring of debt packages for various mining and energy projects around the world. He subsequently joined McLeod Young Weir in London in 1987 as a mining analyst prior to relocating to Toronto in 1990. In 1994, he joined CM Oliver in Toronto as a Director and Senior Mining Analyst, prior to moving back to London where he was instrumental in establishing a European presence for that company. In 1997, he joined Ivanhoe Capital Corporation and was involved in numerous early stage exploration ventures in diverse locations, and joined Shore Gold in 1999 as President and a Director.
He was formerly a Director of Peregrine Diamonds Ltd. (TSX – operating in Canada): Peregrine Metals Ltd (TSX-V a metals exploration company operating in Argentina); Chairman of Rye Patch Gold (TSX-V involved in gold exploration in Nevada) and is currently a Director of Pasinex Resources (a zinc exploration and producer in Turkey).