MANAGEMENT TEAM
MR JOHN WELBORN B.Com, CA, MAICD, SA Fin, JP
Managing Director and CEO
Mr Welborn has extensive experience in the natural resources sector as a senior executive and in corporate management, finance and investment banking. Most recently Mr Welborn was the Managing Director of a resources company focused on bulk commodities. Previously, Mr Welborn was the Head of Specialised Lending in Western Australia for Investec Bank (Australia) Ltd. Mr Welborn has more than 15 years’ experience in national and international professional services and management consulting firms.
Mr Welborn is a Chartered Accountant and has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Western Australia and holds memberships with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia, the Financial Services Institute of Australasia, and the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Mr Welborn is also a Director of Rugby WA Ltd and a Commissioner of Tourism in Western Australia.
Managing Director and CEO
Mr Welborn has extensive experience in the natural resources sector as a senior executive and in corporate management, finance and investment banking. Most recently Mr Welborn was the Managing Director of a resources company focused on bulk commodities. Previously, Mr Welborn was the Head of Specialised Lending in Western Australia for Investec Bank (Australia) Ltd. Mr Welborn has more than 15 years’ experience in national and international professional services and management consulting firms.
Mr Welborn is a Chartered Accountant and has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Western Australia and holds memberships with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia, the Financial Services Institute of Australasia, and the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Mr Welborn is also a Director of Rugby WA Ltd and a Commissioner of Tourism in Western Australia.
MR BRAD FARRINGTON B.Comm.CA (Aust), EMBA, CTA
Chief Financial Officer – Perth
Mr Farrington is a Chartered Accountant with nearly 30 years’ experience in developing and implementing strategic solutions for organisations including being responsible for all commercial, financial and business services requirements of the business. Prior to joining Equatorial, Mr Farrington was Chief Financial Officer at Sinosteel Midwest Corporation (SMC) for over five years. In this role Mr Farrington was an integral member of the small team that successfully defended the hostile all scrip takeover offer from Murchison Metals and facilitated the eventual takeover of Midwest Corporation by Sinosteel which was voted by many professional bodies in Australia and abroad as the best outcome achieved for shareholders of any takeover process in ASX history up to and including 2008. Prior to SMC, Mr Farrington was Chief Financial Officer of the Australia gas pipeline business Epic Energy Group, which owned three pipeline businesses including Australia’s largest - the Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline.
Mr Farrington is a strong commercial negotiator and was responsible for significant agreements for SMC with local Indigenous groups and Chinese offtake customers; all SMC acquisitions, farm-in arrangements and joint ventures; and major input into contract negotiations with key suppliers and project partners including contract mining, haulage, port access and services, contractor and camp services. Mr Farrington was also an integral member of the studies team for the PFS and BFS of the SMC Weld Range iron ore project.
Mr Farrington is in charge of the finance, administration and commercial teams for the Group.
Chief Financial Officer – Perth
Mr Farrington is a Chartered Accountant with nearly 30 years’ experience in developing and implementing strategic solutions for organisations including being responsible for all commercial, financial and business services requirements of the business. Prior to joining Equatorial, Mr Farrington was Chief Financial Officer at Sinosteel Midwest Corporation (SMC) for over five years. In this role Mr Farrington was an integral member of the small team that successfully defended the hostile all scrip takeover offer from Murchison Metals and facilitated the eventual takeover of Midwest Corporation by Sinosteel which was voted by many professional bodies in Australia and abroad as the best outcome achieved for shareholders of any takeover process in ASX history up to and including 2008. Prior to SMC, Mr Farrington was Chief Financial Officer of the Australia gas pipeline business Epic Energy Group, which owned three pipeline businesses including Australia’s largest - the Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline.
Mr Farrington is a strong commercial negotiator and was responsible for significant agreements for SMC with local Indigenous groups and Chinese offtake customers; all SMC acquisitions, farm-in arrangements and joint ventures; and major input into contract negotiations with key suppliers and project partners including contract mining, haulage, port access and services, contractor and camp services. Mr Farrington was also an integral member of the studies team for the PFS and BFS of the SMC Weld Range iron ore project.
Mr Farrington is in charge of the finance, administration and commercial teams for the Group.
MR MARK GLASSOCK B.Sc. (Geology), MAusIMM
General Manager – Geology
Mr Glassock is a geologist with over 22 years’ experience in mining and exploration geology, covering commodities including iron ore, gold, copper, coal and mineral sands. Most recently he was Resource Estimation Manager for Fortescue Metals Limited, responsible for their iron ore resources. Since graduating from The University of Sydney, Mr Glassock has held senior operational positions at a number of major mining operations in Australia and has developed extensive expertise in the management of all aspects of exploration and mine geology.
As General Manager - Geology, Mr Glassock is responsible for all corporate geological functions with particular emphasis on managing the exploration and development programs on the Mayoko-Moussondji and Badondo Iron Projects.
Mr Glassock is a current member of the Australian Institute Mining and Metallurgy.
General Manager – Geology
Mr Glassock is a geologist with over 22 years’ experience in mining and exploration geology, covering commodities including iron ore, gold, copper, coal and mineral sands. Most recently he was Resource Estimation Manager for Fortescue Metals Limited, responsible for their iron ore resources. Since graduating from The University of Sydney, Mr Glassock has held senior operational positions at a number of major mining operations in Australia and has developed extensive expertise in the management of all aspects of exploration and mine geology.
As General Manager - Geology, Mr Glassock is responsible for all corporate geological functions with particular emphasis on managing the exploration and development programs on the Mayoko-Moussondji and Badondo Iron Projects.
Mr Glassock is a current member of the Australian Institute Mining and Metallurgy.
DR JOHN CLOUT B.Sc. (Hons), Ph.D FAusIMM
Chief Metallurgical Consultant
Dr Clout has over 20 years of experience in iron ore characterisation, beneficiation, process plant flowsheet design, sintering, lump quality for the blast furnace, pelletising as well as iron ore technical marketing. Dr Clout has worked for the CSIRO conducting industry-focused projects and more recently played a leading role in the development of Fortescue Metals Group Ltd as Head of Resource Strategy and General Manager R & D. Dr Clout is well known to many steelmills in Asia and elsewhere, particularly in China where he has had a heavy involvement in iron ore product and sintering technology development over the last 19 years.
Dr Clout was awarded the Australian Technological Sciences and Engineering Clunies Ross award in May 2011 for his major contribution over the years to the Australian Iron Ore Industry.
Chief Metallurgical Consultant
Dr Clout has over 20 years of experience in iron ore characterisation, beneficiation, process plant flowsheet design, sintering, lump quality for the blast furnace, pelletising as well as iron ore technical marketing. Dr Clout has worked for the CSIRO conducting industry-focused projects and more recently played a leading role in the development of Fortescue Metals Group Ltd as Head of Resource Strategy and General Manager R & D. Dr Clout is well known to many steelmills in Asia and elsewhere, particularly in China where he has had a heavy involvement in iron ore product and sintering technology development over the last 19 years.
Dr Clout was awarded the Australian Technological Sciences and Engineering Clunies Ross award in May 2011 for his major contribution over the years to the Australian Iron Ore Industry.
MR FLORENT DECKOUS
Government Liaison & New Projects Manager
Mr Deckous is a Congolese national and one of the original project vendors of the Equatorial Resources ROC assets. He has 15 years of international management experience in London and in France. Mr Deckous is fluent in French, English, Russian, Lingala and Kitouba. He holds a degree in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Dokouchaeva (Ukraine) and holds an Operations Diploma from the University of North London (UK).
Government Liaison & New Projects Manager
Mr Deckous is a Congolese national and one of the original project vendors of the Equatorial Resources ROC assets. He has 15 years of international management experience in London and in France. Mr Deckous is fluent in French, English, Russian, Lingala and Kitouba. He holds a degree in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Dokouchaeva (Ukraine) and holds an Operations Diploma from the University of North London (UK).
MR HUGO SCHUMANN MBA, CFA, B.Bus.Sci (Hons)
Executive – Head of Business Development
Mr Schumann holds an MBA from INSEAD, is a CFA Charterholder and holds a Bachelor of Business Science from the University of Cape Town. He was previously a partner at a Venture Capital fund in London where he held board positions in a number of portfolio companies in the natural resources sector. He has specific experience in the financing and development of mining exploration projects in southern and central Africa.
Executive – Head of Business Development
Mr Schumann holds an MBA from INSEAD, is a CFA Charterholder and holds a Bachelor of Business Science from the University of Cape Town. He was previously a partner at a Venture Capital fund in London where he held board positions in a number of portfolio companies in the natural resources sector. He has specific experience in the financing and development of mining exploration projects in southern and central Africa.