Ted Grobicki

Non-executive Chairman

Ted Grobicki retired in May 2006 from the position of Executive Director at Harmony Gold Mining Company, the fifth largest gold mining company in the world, where he had held several senior executive roles in South Africa, Australia and Canada respectively. He was part of the team that envisaged and executed the strategies and actions which transformed Harmony from a lease-bound loss-making local company into one of the largest and most dynamic integrated gold mining enterprises in the world. He has 36 years experience in operational, corporate and financial management in the international mining industry. His experience encompasses activities in exploration, development and construction, operational management and restructuring, and in corporate management, mergers and acquisitions in various parts of the world including Southern Africa, North and South America, Australia, Russia and South-East Asia respectively. He has served on the Boards of 15 publicly listed companies during his career and currently also serves as non-executive chairman of Luiri Gold Mines Limited.

Rhod Grivas

Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director

Mr Grivas is a geologist with 17 years experience in all technical aspects of exploration from grassroots through to resource estimation and feasibility. He has held a number of director and management positions with junior resource companies and worked at Gilt-Edged Mining NL prior to its takeover by Goldfields Limited (now Placer Dome Asia Pacific), as the Kundana exploration manager during the discovery by Gilt-Edged Mining of a million ounce gold resource, located directly along strike from Dioros Frogs Leg deposit.

Mark O'Dea

Non-executive Director

Dr O’Dea is founder, president and CEO of Canadian listed companies Fronteer Development Group and Aurora Energy Resources. Dr O’Dea has been recognised by the Financial Post, Globe and Mail for raising over $250 million in equity financings and building an outstanding exploration team that has developed a sizeable portfolio of advanced-stage gold and copper-gold assets, as well as one of the world’s largest primary deposits of uranium.

Under Dr O’Dea’s leadership, both companies have become ranked among the Top 50 Strongest publicly traded companies in B.C. for their significant capital, liquidity and asset values. Previous to Fronteer and Aurora, Dr O’Dea worked with SRK Consulting and founded Riftore Consulting, providing structural advice on mineral exploration for client companies around the world.

Dr O’Dea has also served as a member of the Board of Frontera Copper Corporation. Dr O’Dea graduated from Carleton University in 1989 with a B.S.c (Hons.) degree in Geology. He then completed his Ph.D. in structural Geology at Monash University in 1995 and subsequently held a one-year Postdoctoral Research Fellowship.

Ross Kestel

Non-executive Director

Ross Kestel is both a Chartered Accountant and Certified Practising Accountant and has been a director of the accounting practice Nissen Kestel Harford since July 1980.

Over the last 18 years, he has acted as a Director and Company Secretary of a number of public companies involved in mineral exploration, mining, mine services, property development, manufacturing and technology industries.

Mr Kestel is Chairman of several audit committees and is also a member of their respective Remuneration Committees.

He has assisted in the listing of a significant number of public companies on the ASX and has been a member of a number of Due Diligence and Takeover Strategy Committees.

Mr Kestel is a Registered Company Auditor and a member of the Institute of Company Directors.

Robert Reynolds

Non-Executive Director

Mr Reynolds is a Chartered Accountant with over 35 years experience in commerce and practice. He joined Delta Gold Limited as its accountant and company secretary and became an executive director in 1988. He became a non-executive director in 1996 and remained as such until the merger with Goldfields Limited in late 2001.

Mr Reynolds jointly oversaw the growth of Delta Gold Limited from a junior explorer to a medium-size gold mining Company. His role was corporate planning, overseeing corporate governance and supervision of administration and financial management.

Jan Castro

Non-Exeuctive Director

Mr Castro is the Managing Director of Pala Investments AG, the major shareholder of Avoca and the exclusive investment advisor to Pala Investments Holdings Ltd., a US$ 1 billion investment fund focusing on the mining sector.

As a long-term partner, Pala leverages its extensive mining and natural resources sector experience to provide strategic advice and innovative financing solutions.

Prior to founding Pala in July 2006, Mr Castro was Senior Vice President-Investments and Corporate Affairs for Mechel OAO, a major Russian mining and metals company listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Rohan Wiliams

Non-Executive Director

Mr Williams is Avoca’s founding Managing Director and CEO, commencing in October 2001.  Prior to joining Avoca he worked with WMC Resources Limited where he held Chief Geologist positions at St Ives Gold Mines and Norseman Gold Operation. 

He has had over 20 years of experience including over 15 years in the Higginsville – St Ives / Kambalda – Norseman regions and has built up an excellent understanding of ore deposits in these regions. 

Mr Williams' previous exploration successes include the 1 million ounce Belleisle gold deposit at St Ives, the Daisy gold deposit at Central Norseman and the Coronet Nickel mine at Kambalda.

David McArthur

Company Secretary

Mr McArthur is a Chartered Accountant, with over 21 years' experience in the accounting profession. Mr McArthur has been actively involved in the financial and corporate management of a number of public listed companies.