People & Governance

Alberto Morales is founder of Andean Precious Metals and has over 30 years of experience specializing in corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions and corporate restructurings. He has participated individually in other private equity and venture capital projects as co-developer, investor and/or advisor in various sectors, including mining, alternative energy, telecommunications, aviation, tourism, financial services and asset management. Additionally, he has participated in the planning, formation, development and consolidating stages of various start-up business ventures. He holds a Bachelor of Law from the University of Monterrey and a Master of Compared Law from the New York University School of Law and was admitted to practice law in Mexico in 1985 and in the State of New York in 1989.

Ms. Ashby is currently the CEO & Founder of ACE LLC, a company that educates and trains women to attain corporate board positions. She also established the Denver Gold Group, a globally recognized international trade association, serving on its board for 17 years, including tenure as Founder and CEO. Subsequently, she founded and was CEO of MINE LLC (Meetings International Natural Resources Enterprise) from 2005 to 2013, encouraging collaborations between resource/energy enterprises and prominent investors across the US, Europe, UK and Canada. In 2022, Ms. Ashby was recognized as one of the top 100 Inspirational Women in Mining by Women in Mining UK.

Ms. Ashby excels in capital markets, governance and marketing, and currently serves as an independent director for Treasury Metals, Inc. and the National Mining Hall of Fame & Museum. She was formerly a director for publicly listed companies including, McEwen Mining Inc., Lithium X Energy Corp., Lucky Strike Resources, Inc., Lake Victoria Mining Company, Inc., Green Energy Corporation and Menē Inc. Her board responsibilities have included chairing and participating in Audit and Compensation committees, and serving on Nominating and Governance, Health, Safety & Environmental, and Special Committees.

Ms. Ashby attained a degree in Finance from Regis University, Magna Cum Laude and has her CDI.D, Board Certification, from Corporate Directors International.

Mr. Felipe Canales has 40 years of experience in the corporate finance and strategy areas, with over 25 years in top executive positions at major public companies. He has personally led and successfully executed large and complex corporate finance transactions, multi-jurisdictional debt restructurings, mergers and acquisitions, joint-ventures, and capital raisings. He is currently Co-CEO at Rose Hill, a Nasdaq SPAC focused on Latin America, among other international advising positions. Mr. Canales was CFO of Axtel, a major Mexican telecom company, from 2009 to 2017. Prior to Axtel he was CFO of Sigma Alimentos, the food division of Alfa, a global Mexican conglomerate with operations in Canada, the United States, Latin America, Europe and Asia, where he held other positions during his 30-year career at that company. Mr. Canales has an MBA degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a B.Sc. in Industrial Engineering from Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey.

He graduated from the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon (UANL) where he obtained his Law Degree with Honorary mention. He also earned a Master of Finance from the University of Wisconsin and enrolled as an Honor Student. Before joining CEMEX, he was Deputy General Director of Regional Banking, responsible for all aspects (Credit, Legal, etc.) related to the Bank’s operation in its 121 local branches from 1985 to 1987. He joined CEMEX, S.A.B. de C.V., in 1987 and served as General Legal Director until June 2014, when he was promoted to Legal Executive Vice President in 2017. Mr. Villarreal also held the position as a consultant to the Chairman of the Board of Directors and to the CEO of CEMEX, until December 31, 2017. Furthermore, he served as Secretary of the Board of Directors of CEMEX, from 1995 to 2017 and as Secretary of the Board of Directors of CEMEX Mexico until February 2017. Mr. Villarreal has been a member of the Board of Directors of CEMEX, S.A.B. of C.V. since 2017. He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of several companies.

Grant Angwin has nearly 40 years’ experience in precious metals. He was, until recently, the President of Asahi Refining NA – the world’s largest gold and silver refiners with 3 manufacturing operations in North America. Prior to the sale of the business in 2015, he worked for Johnson Matthey, both in the UK and USA, where he held various senior management roles. His experience includes being the former Chair of the London Bullion Market Association, past Member of the Shanghai Gold Exchange International Advisory Board and a Board Member of the Silver Institute. He currently sits on the ICE Benchmark Precious Metals Oversight Committee for the LBMA Gold and Silver prices. He studied Chemistry and Business and Finance at the University of Hertfordshire as well as the Executive Management Programme at Queens School of Business, Ontario.

Mr. Bouchard is a Professional Mining Engineer with over 25 years of mining experience leading operational teams throughout the Americas and Africa. He is currently Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Yamana Gold, responsible for operations and development projects in Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Canada. As well, Mr. Bouchard oversees the Canadian Malartic and Odyssey mines through his role as Vice President of Canadian Malartic, Yamana’s 50% partnership with Agnico Eagle. Mr. Bouchard joined Yamana in 2014 and has progressed through roles of increasing responsibility. Prior to joining Yamana, Mr. Bouchard occupied key operating and technical positions with Primero Mining Corporation, Iamgold Corporation, Breakwater Resources Ltd and Cambior Inc, gaining broad experience in precious and base metals using a range of mining and processing methods. He previously served on the board of directors of Monarch Gold Corporation. Mr. Bouchard is fluent in French, English and Spanish and holds a Bachelor of Mining Engineering degree from École Polytechnique of Montréal. He is registered as a Professional Engineer in Ontario.

Peter Gundy is the founder of Neo Material Technologies Inc (“NEM”), serving as CEO and chairman from 1992 to 2008. Mr. Gundy created one of Canada’s most successful small/medium enterprises operated by Canadians in China and South East Asia. With manufacturing plants in China and Thailand, NEM became #1 in the world in powerful high-tech magnetic materials for the world’s electronic industries (NEM’s proprietary material was used in every hard drive manufactured). NEM became # 1 globally in the production of advanced rare earths also used in the global electronics industries and automotive sector. In 2012, NEM was sold to Molycorp for $1.1 billion. Mr. Gundy has served as a director with numerous publicly traded companies, including Banro Corp., True Gold Mining Inc., and Clifton Star Resources Corp.