Riaan is a seasoned professional with a 20-year track record in the mining and resources sector. Having worked extensively in Africa and Australia, he has a strong background in consulting and client-side mining operations. As a qualified Mining Engineer, Riaan holds a Bachelor's degree in Mining Engineering and a Master's degree in Mineral Economics, further enhancing his understanding of the industry's intricacies. His experience spans across open pit and underground mine production, technical services, and project & study management. Riaan has recently embarked on a new chapter in his career, joining GHD as a Study Manager. In this role, he will leverage his knowledge and skills to contribute to a range of engineering projects worldwide, hoping to make a significant impact within the industry.

Melissa Kirby is a Managing Director of Sharpe & Abel, a Melbourne-based law and strategy firm serving the industrial and technical sectors. Prior to Sharpe & Abel, Melissa was a director and in house lawyer at Honeywell, advising its Automation and Control Solutions business group in the Asia Pacific, sub-Saharan Africa and Middle East regions. She has also headed up the legal, regulatory and compliance department of a major Australian utility company. She has been in private practice in the English law firm Clifford Chance and the New York law firm White & Case specializing in cross-border dispute resolution in the Asia Pacific region, as well as teaching and research at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. Having advised clients through the Asian Financial Crisis, the Global Financial Crisis, the recent COVID-19 pandemic and every business cycle in between, Melissa considers her job well done when clients don’t end up in Court, are paid on time and in full and are growing and thriving in their business.

John is a minerals industry strategist, economist, futurist, and geologist. He is currently finishing a PhD using scenario planning to investigate the future of mining and exploration at the Centre for Exploration Targeting, The University of Western Australia. He also works as a Strategist for MinEx Consulting and as Director of Greenfields Research, as well as teaching on the MBA Programme at UWA and at the Australian Institute of Management (WA). John is also a co-author of the Strictly Boardroom column on MiningNews.net. He is also honoured to be a Fellow of the AusIMM.

John Dunlop is an engineer, with Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Mining Engineering from the University of Melbourne. He has enjoyed 50 years membership of the AusIMM, being mentored initially by institute legends Beryl Jacka and Geoff O’Malley in the 1960s. His career has spanned 20 years in operations, 25 years as a consultant (gaining experience in more than 30 countries) and 5 years as a university lecturer & researcher at the University of Melbourne. During this time John has occupied positions of air leg miner, shift boss, mine manager, project manager and general manager, as well as being a public company director or company chairman for more than 20 years. He is also involved in arbitration and mineral asset valuation. John was formerly an AusIMM director from 2001 – 2006, occupying numerous committees and task forces and is currently on the Far North Qld branch committee. He received the AusIMM’s Beryl Jack award in 2007 and was re-elected to the AusIMM Board for another term from 2021 to 2023. He has three grown children, two of whom live overseas. He is also the son of distinguished Australian surgeon, soldier and sportsman Sir Edward “Weary” Dunlop, a former Australian of the Year, who appeared on the 1995 commemorative 50 cent Australian coin.

Lian Sinclair is Postdoctoral Research Associate in Geography at the University of Sydney and member of the Sydney Environment Institute. Her current research, funded by the Faculty of Science, focuses on how Australian critical minerals industry is plugging into global production networks in batteries, electric vehicles and renewable energy, and the resulting implications for regional development. When, how and where do the 'industruial upgrading' strategies of Australian governments and industry groups complement or conflict with the supply chain management strategies of auto and battery manufacturers? Can Australia capture a fair share of value from this new boom? Can the windfall profits be used to create a prosperous, equitable and just society? Lian’s first book about community-company relations in Indonesia is contracted for publication by Manchester University Press. More here: https://www.sydney.edu.au/science/about/our-people/academic-staff/lian-sinclair.html

Annaliese joined ASM as General Counsel and Joint Company Secretary in January 2023, bringing over 15 years’ of legal, commercial, strategic and corporate governance experience. Her depth of knowledge covers large scale project contracting, corporate, finance and intellectual property law. Before joining ASM, Annaliese was Managing Counsel with BHP, and prior to this held a variety of roles with a range of companies in the mining industry.