John Wisbey

I am focused in a Chairman and CEO capacity on quoted Canadian lithium and rubidium mining exploration company ILC Critical Minerals Ltd.. where I was appointed to my role in 2018. It operates in Canada, Namibia and Zimbabwe. I am also Chairman of Swiss Alternative Financing AG and Convendia AG in Switzerland. I am involved as a NED with other entrepreneurial opportunities where I can leverage my skills in building and growing companies and fundraising with a board position and equity involvement. Africa, and especially Southern Africa, has become a big focus for me. Previously after a banking career in lending and derivatives, I successfully founded and took to IPO two AIM quoted software companies, IDOX plc where I was Chairman, and Lombard Risk Management plc where I was Chairman and CEO, later CEO only. In both cases I then took them on to good post IPO growth, and played a large part in ongoing strategy and in developing a quality shareholder base capable of financing a much bigger company. The success of these companies was also very much due to the excellent executive teams behind me. As Chairman and/or CEO or board member I have acquired a lot of very practical experience of logically thinking through market opportunities, understanding the relationship between sales and cash forecasting and revenue recognition, company and employment law, raising money, R&D issues, stock market governance, M&A and importantly how markets really work. I have also acquired a lot of knowledge of regulation, technology, derivatives and risk management which stand me in good stead in any company. The challenge for any entrepreneurial situation is balancing creativity and good ideas with focus and top execution. It is vital to build and retain a good team, and yet recognize early what new talent to bring in and when. It is also vital to have boards that truly add value and play a useful role in strategy. The personal challenge is to do all that while retaining time for a private life in Switzerland and London.