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Board of Directors

Wayne Seabrook

EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN
BE Hons (Chem), MAusIMM, F Fin

Wayne has more than 30 years of resources sector and corporate finance experience. He is a director of XLX Pty Ltd and Ironstone Capital Partners Pty Ltd. As Chairman, Wayne is responsible for leadership of the Board, for efficient organisation and conduct of the Board’s function and the briefing of all Directors in relation to issues arising at Board meetings. As Chairperson, Wayne is also responsible for arranging Board performance evaluation.

Wayne has resource experience encompassing; exploration, feasibilities, approvals, construction, operations, and finance internationally and Australia. Prior roles include directorships of ASX-listed resource and resource services companies. Wayne has advised on major transactions including; Coronado (Curragh), Excel Coal, Whitehaven Coal, Cliffs Natural Resources, Felix Resources, Rio Tinto, AMCI, Petroz, Nexus, and Arrow Energy.

Wayne holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical – 1st Hons) from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand and a Graduate Diploma from FINSIA. He is a fellow of FINSIA and a member of AUSIMM.

Wayne is a member of the Company’s Operations, Health, Safety, Environment & Community Committee and Audit & Risk and Nomination & Remuneration Committees.

Jim Middleton

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
BE (Mining – Hons) UNSW, FAusIMM, MAICD, OC & UG Mine Mgr

Jim brings over 40 years of coal experience to his role at Malabar Resources Ltd. In previous roles, Jim has been responsible for multiple underground mines, including as; Executive General Manager for Peabody, Director of Underground Operations for Glencore, and VP of Operations at BHP – Illawarra Coal. Jim was also the MD & CEO of Cokal Ltd.

Jim has worked in Africa, Indonesia, USA and Australia, overseeing company strategy, financing, operations, projects, logistics, stakeholder relations and business improvement.

Tony Haggarty

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
MComm

Tony has 35 years experience in the financing, development and management of coal mining projects. He worked for BP Coal and BP Finance in Sydney and London in various business development and finance positions and for Agipcoal as the Managing Director of its Australian subsidiary. Tony was a founding director of Excel Coal in 1994 and Managing Director from this time, through the ASX-listing of Excel Coal and until the takeover of Excel Coal by Peabody in 2006. After Excel Coal, Tony joined Whitehaven Coal Ltd as Managing Director until resigning from that position in March 2013. Other previous board roles include non-executive director of King Island Scheelite Ltd and IMX Resources Ltd.

Tony is a member of the Audit & Risk Committee.

Allan Davies

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
BE Mining (Hons), OAM

Allan has over 40 years of experience in the Australian and international coal industry. Allan commenced work with MIM Ltd at Mt Isa and then Union Corporation in South Africa. Subsequently, he joined BP where he was, in succession, mine manager at the Howick Open Cut and Director Mining, BP Coal Inc (based in Cleveland), Ohio. In 1990 he became General Manager of the Agipcoal United underground mine in the Hunter Valley and then General Manager of the Rio Tinto Hunter Valley No 1 and Howick mines. Allan was a founding executive director of Excel Coal through to the takeover of Excel Coal by Peabody in 2006. Allan was also a non-executive director of Pacific National Pty Ltd, QR National Limited (now Aurizon Limited), QMastor Limited, King Island Scheelite Limited and an executive director of Whitehaven Coal Limited until 2012. Allan is currently Chairman of ASX-listed Qube Holdings Limited.

On 12 June 2023, Allan was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to the community through charitable organisations.

Allan is the Chair of Nomination & Remuneration Committee and a member of the Operations, Health, Safety, Environment & Community Committee.

Brian Beem

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
BA, Political Economy

Brian has more than 16 years of global resources investment and corporate finance experience.  Brian worked on numerous transactions in the resources sector while working as investment banker at Merrill Lynch and a principal investor at First Reserve Corporation, a U.S. based energy private equity firm.  For the last 12 years Brian has held senior positions at the AMCI Group, a privately held global resources investor.  During his time at AMCI Brian has led numerous investments in the Australian coal sector, including Felix Resources, Whitehaven Coal, AMCI Australia and Fitzroy Resources.  Brian currently serves on the boards of Conuma Coal Resources Ltd, Fitzroy QLD Resources Ltd and AMCI Investments Pty Ltd, amongst others.

Brian is a member of the Audit & Risk Committee.

Anthony (Tony) Galligan

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
BSc (Geology)

Tony has more than 40 years of experience in the Australian coal industry. He has held senior positions in the areas of geology, project approvals and development, mine safety, and mine-related infrastructure. His most recent position was General Manager Infrastructure with Whitehaven Coal Ltd. He was Chairman of Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group for more than 3 years during the feasibility, financing and construction of the new coal terminal and also played a pivotal role in the upgrade of the rail line to the Gunnedah Basin. Previous positions include Exploration Manager for Agip Coal, Chief Coal Geologist, Director Coal and Director Development with the NSW Government.

Tony holds a Bachelor of Science (Geology) from the University of Queensland.

Tony is the Chairman of the Company’s Operations, Health, Safety, Environment & Community Committee.

Robert (Rob) Bishop

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
BComm, BA (Marketing), CPA

Rob has over 20 years’ experience in finance and executive leadership roles across the resources and manufacturing sectors. This includes senior leadership roles at Vale Australia’s coal division, two years as Chief Financial Officer at AMCI prior to joining the New Hope Group as General Manager Corporate Development in 2019. Rob was appointed as the Chief Financial Officer in October 2020 and then the CEO of New Hope in February 2022.

Rob holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Queensland, a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from the Queensland University of Technology and is a CPA.

Rob is a member of the Audit & Risk Committee.

Matthew Hunter

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
BComm, Accounting and Finance

Matthew has more than 25 years’ experience in investment banking and principal investment. For the past seven years, Matthew has been a consultant to OCP Asia and is also presently a non-executive director of National Group, MP Water, ARI and MediRent, and Chairman of Bothar Australia and Canada, and Asseti.

Prior to this, Matthew was a Managing Director of private equity firm, The Carlyle Group based in Sydney, which followed a career in Investment Banking with JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch, focused on mergers and acquisitions in Australia and the UK.

Qualifications: Bachelor of Commerce, Accounting and Finance from University of NSW.

Lindi-May Lochner

COMPANY SECRETARY
BHons (Accounting), CA, GAICD

Lindi has over 20 years’ finance experience across a range of industries including mining, manufacturing, not for profit organisations, childcare and professional services. Lindi is a Chartered Accountant and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is also currently the Group Financial Controller for Malabar. Lindi is currently a Director of Tennis NSW and the Public Officer for The Australian Rhino Project.

Lindi holds a Bachelor of Accounting and Honours in Accounting from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa.

Lindi is  a member of the Audit & Risk Committee and the Operations, Health, Safety, Environment and Community Committee.

Executive Management

Paul Verner

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
BBus, MAppFin

Paul has more than 15 years of accounting, finance, and resources experience. Prior to joining Malabar, he was the Group Treasurer at Whitehaven Coal Limited and was responsible for raising the capital to fund the Narrabri Underground and Maules Creek coal mines. Paul gained previous accounting and finance experience at Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Allco Financial Group, and Babcock & Brown Limited.

Paul holds a Bachelor of Business from the University of Technology Sydney and a Masters of Applied Finance from Macquarie University.

Paul is a member of the Company’s Board and the Audit & Risk Committees.

James Johnson

GENERAL MANAGER, DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONS
BE Hons (Mech), MAppFin

James has over 20 years of experience in the Australian coal mining industry and is highly experienced in underground coal.  Starting his career at the coal face James has held several key management positions including Engineering Manager and Production Manager during the construction and production ramp up of Glencore’s Ulan West Underground mine. Prior to joining Malabar in 2019, James was the Operations Manager at Glencore’s Ulan Underground mine. As General Manager James is committed to developing and leading safe and efficient operations.

A Fitter by trade, James also holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical – Honours Class 1) from the University of Newcastle, and industry-recognised qualifications including Mining Engineering Manager and Mechanical Engineering Manager Certificates of Competency for NSW Coal. James also has a Master of Applied Finance, graduating with distinction, from the University of Newcastle.

James is a member of the Company’s Operations, Health, Safety, Environment and Community Committee.