Board of Directors

Executive Director

Mr Cao, aged 43, was appointed CEO and an Executive Director of the Company in April 2024. He has extensive experience in international business and the non-ferrous metals industry, bringing with him nearly two decades of leadership and experience in international mining investment and strategy. He has a deep understanding of international mining project management and operations and has worked in China, Peru and Australia. From 2021 to 2024, Mr. Cao served as Vice President of China Minmetals Non-ferrous Metals Co., Ltd. in Beijing. He joined China Minmetals Corporation in 2005 and has held senior management positions in various departments related to international business at China Minmetals’ subsidiaries since 2012. Mr Cao holds a Master’s Degree in Mining Engineering and a Bachelor’s Degree in Resource Engineering from the University of Science and Technology Beijing.

Non-executive Director

Mr Zhang, aged 57, was appointed as a Non-executive Director of the Company in February 2017. He is a member of the Company’s Audit and Risk Management Committee. Mr Zhang has been the General Manager of the Finance Department of CMC since January 2016, a director of CMNH and CMN since February 2016, and a director of Minmetals HK since August 2016. He was appointed as the Chairman of Minmetals Finance Co., Ltd. in September 2018. Mr Zhang graduated from Zhejiang Metallurgical Economy College in the PRC, majoring in Financial Accounting. He also obtained a Master’s degree in Economics from Wuhan University of Technology in the PRC. Mr Zhang started his career at China National Nonferrous Metals Import and Export Corporation, working as the Financial Accountant since 1987. From 1997 to 2000, he served as the Deputy Chief of the Finance Division of China National Nonferrous Metals Industry Trading Group Corporation. From 2000 to 2002, Mr Zhang served as the Assistant General Manager of the Finance Department of China National Nonferrous Metals Industry Trading Group Corporation. He also served as the Assistant General Manager (from April 2002 to March 2003) and the Deputy General Manager (from March 2003 to October 2005) of the Finance Department of CMN. From October 2005 to May 2013, Mr Zhang was the Deputy General Manager of the Finance Department of CMC. From May 2013 to December 2015, he served as the Vice President and the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of CMN and CMNH. From December 2015 to January 2016, Mr Zhang was the acting Deputy General Manager of the Finance Department of CMC. From December 2016 to August 2018, he was a director of Minmetals Development Co., Ltd. From April 2017 to May 2020, Mr Zhang was a director of Minmetals Capital Co., Ltd. and from July 2017 to June 2020, he was a director of Minmetals Innovative Investment Co., Limited. Mr Zhang was the Vice Chairman and a director of Xiamen Tungsten Co. Ltd (a company listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange) from January 2014 to December 2014. He was also a director of Hunan Nonferrous Metals Holding Group Co., Ltd from August 2013 to January 2017 and a director of China Tungsten and Hightech Materials Co., Ltd. (a company listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange) from June 2016 to November 2018.

Independent Non-executive Director

Dr Cassidy, aged 78, was appointed as an Independent Non-executive Director of the Company in December 2010. He is the Chairman of the Company’s Governance, Remuneration and Nomination Committee and a member of Audit and Risk Management Committee. Dr Cassidy is a metallurgical engineer with over 50 years’ experience in the resources and energy sectors, including more than 30 years as a director of major public companies listed in Australia, Canada, the USA and Hong Kong. Following his retirement from the position of CEO of Goldfields Limited in 2001, he has served as a non-executive director on the Boards of companies involved in the base metals, precious metals and renewable energy generation sectors. He was also a member of the Board of Advice of Monash University Division of Mining and Resources Engineering. Dr Cassidy has most recently been involved in the development and operation of major mining and processing projects in Australia, Peru, the PRC, Laos, Papua New Guinea, the Democratic Republic Congo and Côte d’Ivoire.

Independent Non-executive Director

Mr Leung, aged 72, was appointed as an Independent Non-executive Director of the Company in July 2012. He is a member of the Company’s Audit and Risk Management Committee and Governance, Remuneration and Nomination Committee. Mr Leung is a solicitor admitted to practise law in Hong Kong, England and Wales, and Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory in Australia. He holds a Bachelor of Social Science (First Class Honours) degree from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and a Master of Philosophy degree from the University of Oxford. Mr Leung, a corporate finance and capital markets specialist, was a partner at Baker & McKenzie and for many years the head of its securities practice group in Hong Kong. He retired from Baker & McKenzie in 2011. Mr Leung was an independent non-executive director of Bank of China Limited (a company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the Shanghai Stock Exchange) from September 2013 to September 2019.

Independent Non-executive Director

Mr Chan, aged 73, was appointed as an Independent Non-executive Director, the Chairman of the Audit and Risk Management Committee and a member of the Governance, Remuneration and Nomination Committee of the Company in December 2019. Mr Chan graduated from Hong Kong Polytechnic majoring in accounting. He is a member of Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants, a fellow member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants of the United Kingdom, an associate member of The Chartered Governance Institute (formerly known as The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators) of the United Kingdom, and a member of CPA Australia. From January 1994 to December 2008, Mr Chan served as Beijing-based managing partner of the Tax and Investment Advisory Service Department and then managing partner of the NPA Transaction Advisory Service Department of Ernst & Young. He also served as member of the executive committee of the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in China from 1996 to 2003 and the Chairman of Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in China in 2000 and 2003. Mr Chan was an independent non-executive director of CRRC Corporation Limited (a company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the Shanghai Stock Exchange) from May 2015 to May 2018. He was also an independent non-executive director of Metallurgical Corporation of China Ltd. (a company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the Shanghai Stock Exchange) and China Railway Signal & Communication Corporation Limited (a company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the Shanghai Stock Exchange) from November 2014 to April 2020 and from August 2018 to January 2022 respectively.