Firefinch Ltd (ASX:FFX) has enhanced the financial and corporate skillset of its board through appointing Tom Plant as chief financial officer (CFO) and Nathan Bartrop as company secretary, effective immediately.
These appointments are expected to facilitate the company’s transition to a 150,000-200,000 ounces per annum gold producer in West Africa and progress the proposed demerger of the Goulamina Lithium Project.
Outgoing CFO and company secretary Eric Hughes will remain as an adviser supporting the finalisation of the Firefinch-Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithium Co Ltd incorporated joint venture at Goulamina and demerger of Goulamina Holdings Pty Ltd into a separate ASX-listed entity to be named Leo Lithium Ltd.
Tom Plant's experience
Tom Plant, who holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Western Australia and an MBA from INSEAD, will bring his background in investment evaluation, project finance and corporate transactions.
A highly experienced senior finance executive, Plant has worked on a number of successful corporate debt and company transforming transactions, including several demergers over his career spanning more than 25 years.
Most recently, he spent 10 years with ASX-listed global mineral sands producer Iluka Resources Limited and as treasurer was responsible for group corporate finance activities, financial risk management and treasury operations.
After beginning his career with Arthur Andersen as a Chartered Accountant, Plant has also held various corporate finance and investment banking positions with Macquarie Group, Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein and Arthur Andersen Corporate Finance in Australia and the UK.
Nathan Bartrop's expertise
Nathan Bartrop is a corporate governance professional with more than 10 years of experience in ASX Listing Rules compliance, corporate advisory and corporate governance.
As company secretary, he has assisted numerous listed and dual-listed entities across a wide range of industries.
During his career, Bartrop has also worked as an ASX listings compliance adviser at ASX in Perth and Sydney, where he was involved in the new listing of companies on ASX and advising listed entities on their compliance with ASX listing rules.
He holds a Bachelor of Laws and Commerce from the University of Western Australia and a Graduate Diploma of Applied Corporate Governance from the Governance Institute of Australia. He is also a Fellow and WA State Council member of the Governance Institute of Australia.