Investors Strand Hanson and Chronicle event

Senior leaders from within the natural resources sector met to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing those operating in emerging markets.

On 13th December 2012, Strand Hanson and Investors Chronicle hosted a roundtable discussion with industry leaders from the natural resources sector.

This discussion focused on how companies manage all types of risk in their business, particularly with regard to exploration, production, legislation/regulation/CSR and financing.

A comprehensive article appeared in the Investors Chronicle following the discussion, click here to read www.investorschronicle.co.uk.

Q4 2012 proved to be another strong quarter for Strand Hanson, particularly within the natural resources sector with Stonewall’s A$68.76 million IPO on ASX, the $60 million public market refinancing of Madagascar Oil on AIM and Gulf Keystone’s $275 million convertible issue.

Simon Raggett, Chief Executive commented:

“It has been another strong year for Strand Hanson, as we again grew our business and increased our presence, both in advisory and direct investment through our merchant banking arm, in emerging markets.

We were delighted to host, alongside Investors Chronicle, the roundtable discussion with senior leaders in the natural resources space – when gathered together it was clear, perhaps contrary to most people’s expectations, that there continues to be confidence in identifying new opportunities and if presented correctly, investor appetite to support them, both in the public and private markets, as our recent dealflow clearly demonstrates.”

Those who attended the discussion included:

Amazoil (Glencore’s senior representative in West Africa / Nigeria)

Og Amazu, Director
Og began his career in oil and gas at an early age. At 18, he secured a contract to lift 60,000 barrels of crude oil which would later pave the way for his formidable 20 year career in the oil and gas industry. He spent time in his twenties as a LIFFE local (independent trader) in the city of London before his passion for business and trading and a chance encounter with a bank requiring consultancy in Nigerian oil, made his future in oil and gas inevitable. In 2000, Og took over the leadership role at Amazoil moving the business into trading and consultancy which makes up the multimillion dollar group that Amazoil is today. He continues to invest in The Groups future ventures.

Mercom Oil Sands plc

Dr Patrick Cross, Non-executive Chairman
Dr Cross is the Non-executive Chairman of Empyrean Energy Plc (AIM: EME). His previous positions include 25 years with British Petroleum specialising in marketing, strategic planning, and business development. Additionally he was for two years President of Cable & Wireless Japan and for six years was Managing Director of BBC World Limited. Dr Cross holds a PhD in Microwave Technology and a BSc (Eng.) in Electrical Engineering from University College London. Dr Cross lives in Oxfordshire, UK.

North River Resources plc

Martin French, Non Executive Director
Martin started his career at Merrill Lynch and has 25 years experience in international capital markets and the junior resource sector. He was journalist at Euromoney magazine and then as editor, launched Euroweek and later Asiamoney magazine in Hong Kong. He became a partner of Credit Lyonnais Securities Asia (CLSA), running their operations in Thailand, Malaysia/Singapore, then Chinese Corporate Finance and launching CLSAs businesses in Latin America. Martin has built a career in start-up operations, finding deals and raising funds.He is director of Corporate Development.

Trap Oil plc

Mark Groves-Gidney, CEO
Mark Groves-Gidney has over 30 years’ experience in petroleum exploration, development and finance. Previous roles held in UK onshore, offshore and international basin analyses and prospect generation led to discoveries in the UK, Holland and Canada. Mr Groves-Gidney established and developed Exploration Geosciences, as a co-founder and Managing Director. He sits on the board of a number of private companies and was formerly a non-executive director of SeaEnergy plc (formerly named Ramco Energy plc).

Regal Petroleum plc

Keith Henry, Executive Chairman
Keith Henry was appointed as Non-Executive Chairman in April 2008, and Executive Chairman in September 2010. Mr Henry has over 35 years experience in the development, financing, design, construction and management of projects in the oil and gas, process and energy industries, during which time he was Chief Executive of National Power plc, a FTSE100 company, Kvaerner Engineering and Construction Limited, and Brown & Root Limited. Mr Henry is currently Chairman of Mediterranean Oil & Gas Plc, the senior independent Director of Sterling Energy plc, and non-executive Director for HPR Holdings Limited. Previously Mr Henry served as Chairman of Burren Energy plc, Chairman of Helius Energy plc, Chairman of Petrojarl ASA, Deputy Chairman of Petroleum Geo-Services ASA, Deputy Chairman of Aegis Defence Services Limited, senior independent Director for Emerald Energy plc, and non-executive Director for First Calgary Petroleums Limited, South East Water Limited and Enterprise Oil plc. Mr Henry is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and a chartered civil engineer with a BSc degree from London University and a MSc from the University of Birmingham.

Patagonia Gold plc

Bill Humphries, Managing Director
Director of Patagonia Gold Plc since inception; over 40 years’ experience in mining and civil engineering industries; General Manager of Sardinia Gold Mining SpA 1996 to 1998; Managing Director of Brancote Holdings Plc from January 1999 until its acquisition in 2002; Chairman of Landore Resources Limited.

Sunkar Resources plc

Teck Soon Kong, Non-Executive Chairman
Teck Soon Kong was appointed as a Non-Executive Director of the Company on 23 October 2006 and is a chemical engineer with more than 43 years of experience in the international oil & gas industry, mainly in various senior roles with Shell across the globe. He is currently an independent director of Sterling Resources Limited, which is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, an independent director of Petrokamchatka Resources Limited and a Trustee of Harapan, a UK registered charity.

Landore Resources

Richard Prickett, Chief Executive Officer and Finance Director
Richard Prickett is a chartered accountant and has many years experience in corporate finance. He was Chairman of Brancote Holdings Plc from 1995 until its merger with Meridian Gold Inc in July 2002. He is a Non-Executive Director of City Natural Resources HighYield Trust Plc and Non-Executive Chairman of Asian Growth Properties Limited.

INVESTORS CHRONICLE BIOGRAPHY

Matthew Allan, Investment Writer, Investors Chronicle
A financial journalist specializing in the natural resources sector, Matthew Allan has covered junior mining and oil and gas companies for the past four years. He completed a degree in economics from Queen’s University in 2008 before joining Stockwatch in Vancouver, Canada, as an investigative journalist covering junior gold explorers. Matthew then worked for The Northern Miner where he gained further knowledge about mining geology, and later moved to the U.K. where he joined the Investors Chronicle in May 2012.

Enquiries:

Strand Hanson
Simon Raggett
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7409 3494
simonraggett@strandhanson.co.uk

Cardew Group
Tim Robertson/Shan Shan Willenbrock
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7930 0777
tim.robertson@cardewgroup.com
shanshan.willenbrock@cardewgroup.com

About Strand Hanson

Founded in 1993, Strand Hanson has a strong track record in providing independent, high quality advice to public and private corporate clients, private equity houses and qualified investors across a broad range of sectors.

Strand Hanson’s diverse client base is drawn from a broad range of sectors and geographies with a particular emphasis on natural resources. Strand Hanson is the No. 1 rated oil & gas adviser on AIM, as well as being a leading adviser in the mining and metals sectors.

Consistently ranked as a leading adviser to the FTSE AIM 100.

Strand Hanson has significant experience of advising overseas companies seeking access to the UK markets with over 80 per cent. of the firm’s retained clients based, or having operations, outside the UK.

In the past five years, it has been involved in excess of 45 primary and secondary fundraisings and advised on in excess of 30 M&A transactions with an aggregate transaction value of circa £5 billion.

In addition, Strand Hanson has extensive experience in advising activist investors and financial sponsor clients, both on corporate transactions and restructurings.

In 2008 Strand Hanson opened a representative office in South Africa, enhancing its ability to provide relevant corporate finance advice to companies operating within the continent. Furthermore, their local presence, and active participation within a network of corporate advisers, enables them to identify opportunities in the region that might not be readily apparent to advisers based outside of that community, as well as to invest their own balance sheet directly into transactions.

In April 2009, the management team, led by Chief Executive Simon Raggett, undertook a management buy-out of Strand Hanson Limited and in October 2009 welcomed The Hon. Robert Hanson as chairman and 9.9% shareholder. Robert has significant business interests in Asia, where Strand Hanson sees great potential for significant corporate finance advisory roles, reflecting the increasing prominence of the region in global capital markets.

Strand Hanson also acts as a merchant bank, investing its own capital in transactions, particularly in the natural resources, agriculture, technology and renewables sectors.