Chairmen and chief executives had a lot to say today.
Challenger Acquisitions (LON:CHAL) executive chairman Mark Gustafson said he is keen to proceed with the group’s strategy, after the group secured around £3mln through a convertible note funding.
Meanwhile, International staffing group Empresaria (LON:EMR) has made a good start to the year, delivering year-on-year like-for-like revenue growth according to chairman Tony Martin.
Elsewhere, Gulfsands Petroleum (LON:GPX) chairman Alastair Beardsall thanked his staff for the fortitude shown in the past year, but warned that the group faces many challenges over the coming months.
Similarly, StatPro Group (LON:SOG) started the current year well Carl Bacon, chairman told shareholders at its annual meeting, with more customers switching over to cloud-based systems.
In better news, KEFI Minerals (LON:KEFI) remains on track to become a gold producer by 2017, its chairman said today.
Michelmersh Brick (LON:MBH) chairman Eric Gadsden said the company enjoyed a strong start to the year thanks to improvements to brick market.
Atlantis Resources (LON:ARL) chief executive Tim Cornelius has described 2014 as a seminal year for the British tidal power firm after it sealed its IPO onto London’s AIM market.
Finally in boardroom news, Neil Garner, the founder and chief executive of Proxama (LON:PROX), is to step aside after another year of heavy losses. The group also announced its third new contract of the week.
In mining news, Bushveld Minerals (LON:BMN) has an made an offer to mop up the outstanding shares in Madagascar coal group Lemur Resources.
Meanwhile, Regency Mines (LON:RGM) is exchanging its graphite tenements in Western Australia for a stake in a potential mine development at a neighbouring property.
Forte Energy (LON:FTE) said initial work at the Olympic Domain project in Australia, will centre on the Horse Well target. A hole sunk by Western Mining Corp in 1982 hit 235 metres of copper could represent the edge of a larger system, it said.
Xtract Resources (LON:XTR) has negotiated a sizeable discount on the proposed purchase price for the O'Kiep copper sulphide tailings dumps in South Africa.
Feng Hailang, founder and controlling shareholder of the Hailang Group, has lifted his stake in nickel and gold group Mwana Africa (LON:MWA) to over 9% after buying shares from CIMGC.
Sticking in Africa, Golden Saint Resources (LON:GSR) is on right track and moving forward after a period dominated by the outbreak of the Ebola virus, management said today.
To Australia - Sunrise Resources (LON:SRES) expects to gear up exploration at its Western Australian assets in the second half after recent rains and floods hampered work.
Elsewhere, renewable power group Rame (LON:RAME) will supply power to Mandalay Resource’s silver and gold mine at Cerro Bayo in Chile.
Speaking of energy, 88 Energy (LON:88E) has hired drilling and project management specialist Erik Opstad to oversee operations at Project Icewine in Alaska.
In other oil news, Sound Oil (LON:SOU) is to proceed with the testing phase of the latest appraisal of the Nervesa project, in Italy, after a well encountered a number of gas bearing intervals.
Conversely, SacOil (LON:SAC) has decided to end its participation in the OPL 233 asset, in Nigeria, as it moves to restructure is portfolio.
Rose Petroleum (LON:ROSE) revealed positive findings from the analysis of the State 1-34 well, in the Mancos shale. The company also said issuing 1bn new shares, each priced at 0.3p, to institutional and other investors.
In science news, Clinical research specialist Venn Life Sciences (LON:VENN) has expanded its skin science division Innovenn with microbiology and histology services.
Meanwhile in the tech industry, e-commerce specialist cloudBuy (LON:CBUY) is to power a new online marketplace for people to access social care.
Rosslyn Data Technologies (LON:RDT), the data analytics specialist, said top line growth in the year just gone was strong as it updated on trading.
Finally, ingredients and bakery specialist Real Good Food (LON:RGD) revealed the sale of its Napier Brown sugar business to Tereos had completed. It followed approval at the EGM on May 14.
The group is now focused on three main markets, cake decoration, food ingredients and premium bakery.