Marimaca Copper is home to some of the best exploration geologists in the industry who are behind many well-known Chilean and international discoveries. They are part of a wider technical and commercial team, supported by a strong Board and two private equity backers at the vanguard of mining investment.
Hayden Locke
President and Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Locke joined Marimaca Copper in July 2020 as its President, assuming the role of CEO and joining the Board of Directors in April 2021. Hayden is a highly experienced mining executive, having spent the latter part of his career developing and leading successful LSE and ASX-listed mining companies. Prior to that he worked in investment banking with J.P. Morgan and mining private equity with Barclays Natural Resource Investments. Since early 2018, Mr. Locke has been Chief Executive Officer of AIM-listed Emmerson Plc (“Emmerson”), a Moroccan focused potash development company, where he remains on the board as a Director.
Prior to this, Hayden was Head of Corporate for ASX-listed gold developer Papillon Resources, which was acquired by B2Gold in late 2014 for US$600 million, and Head of Corporate and Technical Services (Geology, Mining and Processing) with ASX-listed potash developer, Highfield Resources.
Sergio Rivera
Vice President of Exploration
Mr. Sergio Rivera joined Marimaca Copper in November 2011 as VP Exploration, the department for which he took full responsibility in June 2018. A respected Chilean geologist, Sergio has over 30 years’ experience and is credited for his involvement in several significant copper discoveries in Chile. Sergio is a member of the Society of Economic Geologist, the Society of Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits, Instituto de Ingenieros de Minas de Chile, Colegio de Geologos de Chile and Sociedad Geologica de Chile. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Geology and a Master’s degree in Economic Geology from the Universidad Católica del Norte. Sergio is Chilean national, resident in Chile and fluent in English.
Jose Antonio Merino
Managing Director, Chile and CFO
Mr. Merino is based in Santiago, Chile and brings over 15 years of international and in-country experience to the Marimaca team. Prior to joining Marimaca, Mr. Merino served as Senior Manager of Business Development and M&A at SQM, the Chilean-based major mining and chemicals company and one of the world’s largest Lithium producers. Mr. Merino is a Civil Engineer by training and has served in various senior roles in the natural resource industry across Project Development, M&A, Corporate Finance and Advisory.
Nico Cookson
Head of Corporate Development & Strategy
Mr. Cookson joined Marimaca in September 2021. Mr. Cookson has significant experience in the mining sector across capital markets, principal investment and advisory. Prior to joining Marimaca he worked in mining-focused private equity at Appian Capital Advisory LLP and in the mining investment banking group at RBC Capital Markets.
Solange González
General Counsel and Company Secretary
Ms. González joined Marimaca in February 2024, as its General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. She brings over 20 years of experience advising multinational and local companies in M&A, securities, corporate governance, compliance, and corporate and commercial law. Prior to joining Marimaca, Ms. González served as Executive Legal Manager for M&A and Financial Transactions at the Falabella Group, Chile’s largest multinational retail business. Prior to this, Ms. González spent 11 years at Carey, one of Chile’s leading law firms, advising local and international clients. While at Carey, Ms. González spent six months as a visiting attorney at Fasken Toronto in the Global Mining Team. Ms. González holds an Masters of Law (LLM) in Corporate Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science, a Bachelor of Law (LLB) from Universidad de Chile, and a Certificate in Mining Law from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University.
Oscar Valenzuela
Vice President, Project
Mr. Valenzuela is a senior mining executive with over 35 years of experience in progressively more senior operating roles in the industry. Prior to joining Marimaca, Mr. Valenzuela was the Director of Projects for Capstone Copper at Mantos Blancos and Mantoverde until June 2024. Before this, he was the Head of Projects for Mantos Copper and Manager of Operations for Mantos Blancos. Mr. Valenzuela has also held the roles of General Manager of Mantoverde for Anglo American, and General Manager of Lomas Bayas for Glencore amongst other senior positions.
Alexis Muñoz
Vice President, Project Execution
Mr. Muñoz has over 29 years of experience in the construction and execution of large-scale mining projects in senior management roles. Before joining Marimaca, Mr. Muñoz was the Construction and Commissioning Manager for Capstone Copper’s recently completed Mantoverde Development Project where he was responsible for the management of construction activities, commissioning, and the development of the Operational Readiness Plan (ORP). Prior to this, Mr. Muñoz was the Project Manager for Mantos Copper’s Mantos Blancos Concentrator Debottlenecking Project. Mr. Muñoz held previous roles as Vice President of Projects at Collahuasi (Glencore, Anglo American and Mitsui) and as Project Manager of Major Projects at BHP.
Paola Kovacic
Senior Manager Exploration
Paola Kovacic joined Marimaca Copper as an Exploration Project Geologist in December 2017. Paola is a geologist with 20 years of experience in copper exploration projects. Prior to joining Marimaca Copper, Paola served as an exploration geologist in Codelco where she participated in different discoveries. She also participated with the IMG consulting group where she served as an Operations and Technical Manager. Paola is a member of the Chilean College of Geologist in addition to the Society of Economic Geologists (SEG).
She has a Masters in Economic Geology, with a mention in Mining Exploration from the Universidad Católica del Norte in Chile. Paola Kovacic is a Chilean national and resident.
Pamela Aguayo
Metallurgy Manager
Pamela Aguayo joined in March 2024, as Metallurgy Manager.
Pamela is Chemical Civil Engineer and has more than 18 years of experience in Copper Mineral Processing Projects, leading Leaching Projects, material handling and developing metallurgical testing campaigns. She has experience in the different phases of the development of Mining Projects from Conceptual Engineering to Construction. She worked for 14 years at BHP and also worked as a Senior Process Engineer in prominent Engineering companies.
Hayden Locke
President and Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Locke joined Marimaca Copper in July 2020 as its President, assuming the role of CEO and joining the Board of Directors in April 2021. Hayden is a highly experienced mining executive, having spent the latter part of his career developing and leading successful LSE and ASX-listed mining companies. Prior to that he worked in investment banking with J.P. Morgan and mining private equity with Barclays Natural Resource Investments. Since early 2018, Mr. Locke has been Chief Executive Officer of AIM-listed Emmerson Plc (“Emmerson”), a Moroccan focused potash development company, where he remains on the board as a Director.
Prior to this, Hayden was Head of Corporate for ASX-listed gold developer Papillon Resources, which was acquired by B2Gold in late 2014 for US$600 million, and Head of Corporate and Technical Services (Geology, Mining and Processing) with ASX-listed potash developer, Highfield Resources.
Michael Haworth
Chair
Mr. Michael (Mike) Haworth joined the Board of Directors of Marimaca Copper in February 2016. He was nominated by Marimaca’s largest shareholder, Greenstone Resources, a specialist mining and metals private equity fund which he co-founded. Mike’s considerable market and corporate finance skills provide the Board with valuable financial, corporate and strategic input. Mike previously worked as a Managing Director at JP Morgan in London where he was Head of Mining and Metals Corporate Finance.
Mike is currently a Director of Excelsior Mining, Northern Vertex, Adventus, Ncondezi Energy and an Alternate Director of Metro Mining and Heron Resources. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. He is a British national and UK resident.
Compensation Committee Chairperson
Tim Petterson
Director
Mr. Tim Petterson was appointed as an Independent Director of Marimaca Copper in November 2018. He was nominated by and represents Tembo Capital, the Company’s second largest shareholder. Tim is qualified as a mining engineer, which complemented by a career in investment banking, brings a combination of technical and corporate expertise to the Board.
He is also a founder and Executive Chairman of Minera Cobre, a Canadian private copper exploration company active in Colombia. Prior to relocating to Canada, Tim served as Head of Global Mining Research at both HSBC James Capel and ABN AMRO, having led many high-profile public offerings and financings. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from, and is an Associate of, the Camborne School of Mines.
Clive Newall
Director
Mr. Clive Newall is a Non-Executive Director of Marimaca Copper. Clive has spent the last twenty-five years, and majority of his career, in the leadership team of one of the world’s largest global copper companies, TSX-listed First Quantum. He is a co-founder and has been President and Director of First Quantum since its formation in 1996.
Clive graduated from the Royal School of Mines, Imperial College, England in 1971 with an honours degree in Mining Geology, and was awarded an MBA from the Scottish Business School at Strathclyde University. He has worked in mining and exploration throughout his career, having held senior management positions with Amax Exploration Inc. and the Robertson Group plc.
Colin Kinley
Director
Mr. Colin Kinley joined the Board of Marimaca Copper in February 2016. He is the Chair of the Audit Committee. Previously he was appointed Marimaca’s Chairman in June 2017. Colin is an internationally respected explorationist in the upstream resources sector.
He is currently CEO of Kinley Exploration, a private integrated project management advisory firm servicing the mining and oil and gas sectors, co-founder and COO of Eco Atlantic Oil and Gas, an independent oil and gas company, and CEO of Jet Mining, a proprietary and patented hydraulic borehole mining company.
Chair of Audit Committee
Alan Stephens
Director
Mr. Alan Stephens is a Non-Executive Director of Marimaca Copper. He co-founded the Company in 2005 and transitioned from his executive to non-executive role in 2018. Alan is a respected exploration geologist, known for his involvement in the discovery of some of the world’s most significant copper mining operations. It is this geological experience and knowledge that Alan brings to the Board.
Alan has served as the Vice President of Exploration for First Quantum and Exploration Manager for Cyprus Amax, managing exploration teams in Latin America, Africa, Europe and Asia. Alan is a Fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists and of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining. He holds a Bachelor’s in Mining Geology from the Royal School of Mines, Imperial College, University of London. Alan is a British and US national, resident in the UK, and fluent in Spanish.
Giancarlo Bruno Lagomarsino
Director
Mr. Giancarlo Bruno Lagomarsino is a Non-Executive Director of Marimaca Copper. A Chilean national and mechanical engineer by training, Giancarlo is a seasoned mining professional with 35 years of experience in mine maintenance, safety and management. He began his career at the Los Bronces Mine, then owned by Exxon, in 1988 and over the course of the next 20 years he worked across numerous operations and various roles, finishing with Anglo American as Operations VP of its Colluahuasi Mine and, finally, VP of the Anglo Norte business unit, prior to its sale in 2015.
Giancarlo was a member of the consortium that acquired Anglo Norte and became CEO of the entity, Mantos Copper SA, in June 2015. In that role, Giancarlo was a key member of the team that improved and expanded operations at Mantos Blancos, delivered significant exploration success, and financed and commenced construction of the Mantoverde project, which is expected to commission in late 2023. Most recently, Giancarlo was Senior VP of Capstone Copper in charge of its Chilean operations.
Kieran Daly
Director
Mr. Daly has over 30 years of experience in the mining industry across executive, strategic, corporate development, commercial and operational roles. He joined Assore in 2018 having previously spent over 10 years in natural resources investment banking at UBS, Macquarie and Investec. Prior to that, Mr. Daly spent 15 years at Anglo American plc’s Coal Division (Anglo Coal) in a number of roles culminating in his appointment as Global Head of Strategy prior to his departure in 2007. Mr. Daly currently serves as a non-executive Director of ASX-/AIM-listed Atlantic Lithium Ltd and JSE-/AIM-listed Gemfields Group Limited. Mr. Daly holds a BSc Mining Engineering from Camborne School of Mines, United Kingdom, and an MBA from Wits Business School, South Africa.