Tajikistan-UK Mining Forum

Sherali Kabir

Minister of Industry and New Technologies of the Republic of Tajikistan

Mr Sherali Kabir is the Minister of Industry and New Technologies of the Republic of Tajikistan. He was born on November 22, 1971 in Tajikistan. He received his education at the Novosibirsk Institute of Soviet-Cooperative Trade of the Russian Federation, as well as at the Tajik State University of Trade, where he became an economist- manager. In 2012 he defended his doctorate in economic sciences. Throughout his career, he has held various key positions in the private and public sectors of the country's economy. From 2005 to 2015, he served as first deputy director of the State Unitary Enterprise "Tajik Aluminum Company" in Tursunzade, and from 2015 to 2020 he was chairman of the board of directors of this enterprise. In November 2020, Mr. Kabir was appointed Minister of Industry and New Technologies of the Republic of Tajikistan, where he continues to implement strategic initiatives to develop the industrial sector and introduce new technologies in the country.

Lord Alderdice

UK Government’s Trade Envoy to Azerbaijan and Central Asia

UK Government’s Trade Envoy to Azerbaijan and Central Asia

Manuel P. Micaller, Jr.

Ambassador US Embassy to Tajikistan

Ambassador Micaller, a career member of the Senior U.S. Foreign Service, rank of Minister Counselor, was nominated to serve as the Ambassador of the United States to Tajikistan on June 22, 2022 and was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on December 13, 2022. He arrived in Tajikistan on February 23, 2023.

Tom Attenborough

Head of International Business Development for Primary Markets at LSEG

As the Head of International Business Development for Primary Markets at LSEG – London Stock Exchange Group, I work with issuers and potential issuers who want to list and raise capital on the London markets. I have been in this role since 2017, after joining LSEG in 2013 from a 15-year career in investment banking and equity capital markets at Citi and Dresdner Kleinwort Benson. My core competencies include developing and executing strategies to attract and retain international issuers, building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders, and promoting LSEG's products and services across different regions and sectors. I have a Certificate of Investor Relations (CIR) and a strong knowledge of the capital markets landscape, especially in the emerging markets. I am passionate about supporting the growth and innovation of companies that contribute to the global economy and society.

Ilhomjon Oimuhammadzoda

Head of the Main Department of Geology under the Government of Tajikistan

Dr Maggy Heintz

BGS Director of Internation Geoscience

BGS Director of Internation Geoscience

Andrew Prelea

CEO of Vast Resources

Andrew has been involved with Vast since 2013 and has spearheaded the development of the Company’s Romanian and Tajik portfolio. Beginning his career in the early 1990s as a bulk iron ore and steel trader in Romania, he then went on to develop his career in the property and earthmoving sector in Australia before returning to Romania in 2003, initially to focus on the development of properties for the Romanian Ministry of Defence and latterly, private sector developments and the Mining sector. Throughout his 28-year career, Andrew has developed extensive investor and public relations experience and has advised the Romanian government on wide ranging high-level topics including social housing, Mining and economic policy. He has built a strong network of contacts across the mining and metals industries and Europe, southern Africa and Central Asia in addition to policy makers and governmental authorities.

Nikki Smith

International Digital Lead and Central Asia Programme Manager

2016 – ongoing : Senior GIS Specialist & Informatics Business Development Manager 2005 –2016 : GIS Specialist, British Geological Survey 2000 –2005 : GIS Analyst & Developer, British Geological Survey 1998 –2000 : GIS Analyst, Robertson Research International Ltd 1995 : MSc University of Aberdeen, Environmental Remote Sensing 1995 –1996 : Research Assistant, Transport Research Laboratory 1994 : BSc (Hons) Kingston University, Geology

Abubakr Pirov

Head of Mining Industry and Precious Metals Department of the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of the Republic of Tajikistan

Azamat Kasymbekov

Principal Banker, Natural Resources (EBRD)

Principal Banker, Natural Resources (EBRD)

Guy Winter

Partner in the Global Mining Group of international law firm, Fasken

Guy Winter is a partner in the Global Mining Group of the international law firm, Fasken. He is a member of the UK Government’s Critical Minerals Expert Committee, formed according to the UK Net Zero Strategy, having previously advised the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change on renewable energy legislation. Guy is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Critical Minerals Association, which aims to ensure secure and sustainable critical mineral supply chains. He advises clients across the entire battery minerals value chain, from upstream mining companies through battery energy storage projects and EV charging infrastructure to recycling and reuse. He has advised numerous international mining companies on London IPOs and secondary fundraisings.

Edward Maravanyika

Research Analyst, Metals & Mining Shore Capital

Research Analyst, Metals & Mining Shore Capital

Mukhtor Fozilzoda

Head the Geology Unit of the Main Department of Geology under the Government of Tajikistan

Head the Geology Unit of the Main Department of Geology under the Government of Tajikistan

Ayuna Nechaeva

Ayuna is Head of Europe, Primary Markets and Co-Chair of LSEG's Women Inspired Network UK Chapter (WIN UK). She was appointed to the role in 2018 having previously held a number of positions in Primary Markets.‚ ‚ Ayuna has brought many international IPOs and listings to the London Stock Exchange from a broad range of sectors.‚ ‚ As part of her focus on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Ayuna advocates for greater access to capital for female entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds.‚ ‚ Outside LSEG, Ayuna serves as Chair of TheCityUK's EMEA Market Advisory Group and Member of TheCityUK's International Trade & Investment Group. She also serves as Advisor to the Impact Boards EM non-profit.‚ ‚ Ayuna was featured in Management Today's 35 under 35 Women in Management in 2017.‚ In 2018, she was shortlisted for the Asian Women of Achievement Award in the Business category.‚ ‚ Ayuna holds a Master in International Business degree from Grenoble Graduate School of Business.

Richard Oldcorn

Corporate Consultant, Board Chair at SRK UK

Richard Oldcorn is a Corporate Consultant, Board Chair at SRK UK, and a Director of SRK Kazakhstan. He has over 30 years’ experience in the mining industry and the last seventeen years with project due diligence and project evaluation around the world. He is an experienced project manager for both due diligence mandates and technical studies over a wide range of different projects for a variety of commodities, including precious metals (gold), base metals (copper, zinc & lead, nickel), coal, iron ore, manganese, and industrial minerals. Richard has managed large multi-disciplinary technical teams carrying out independent due diligence on behalf of companies seeking listing on the major stock exchanges around the world, as well as for companies and financial institutions undertaking major acquisitions and smaller-scale investments. Richard has also managed several projects where SRK has acted as the lender’s Independent Engineer for project finance deals, including assisting with settling up of monitoring performance criteria and completion testing. Richard is a Chartered Geologist and Competent/Qualified Person as defined by the JORC Code.

Dennis Cruz

Partner in the Texas based investment group, Pristine Services Group

Dennis Cruz is a partner in the Texas based investment group, Pristine Services Group. He has led the group's investments across multiple industries that include mining, sustainability, aviation, automotive, and healthcare. Pristine Services Group highlights their investment in the Tajikistan's mining industry, where they are a partner in Gulf Minerals International and Central Asia Metals and Minerals Trading, both companies who are in partnership with VAST Resources, PLC. In addition to owning mining assets in Tajikistan, the group is a shareholder in assets in the United States. Across the mining division, the group employs over 800 staff and is working to continue the steady growth seen in recent years. Pristine Services Group deploys its own capital in addition to partnering with other private equity groups and family offices. It has also initiated relationships with multiple departments of the United States Government.

Jeff Townsend

UK Critical Minerals Association

Jeff is the founder of the Critical Minerals Associations in the UK, Australia and the U.S. as well as CMIA. He is an internationally recognised critical minerals expert with strong ties to the UK, Australia, across Africa and the Middle East.

James McFarlane

Vast Resources

James McFarlane is a globally experienced technical mining professional, with a strong background in UK Mining Operations. James has held senior roles in active mining operations in England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Australia, and has worked as a principal mining consultant across a range of commodities worldwide. He was until recently the General Manager for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region for Mining Plus Ltd, a global mining consultancy. James holds a MSc from the Camborne School of Mines in Mining Geology, is a Chartered Geologist, Chartered Engineer and Registered Professional Geoscientist in the fields of Mining and Mineral Exploration. James is a Fellow of the IOM3, Geological Society of London, the Institute of Quarrying and also a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists.

Luke Allum

Senior Research Analyst from there Rare Earth team Blue Project

Luke joined Project Blue in July 2022 and is based in London as part of the cost team at Project Blue. He mostly focuses on lithium and rare earth cost analysis and consulting. Luke holds an MSc from UCL in Sustainable Resource Economics and Policy where his thesis focused on the financial valuation of socially focused mineral exploration. He also has a BSc in Geology from Cardiff University. He is a fellow at the Geological Society of London (FGS) and an Associate member of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (AIMMM). Before his time at Project Blue Luke worked internationally as an adventure guide and had opportunities to work around Europe and in the Middle East.

Muslihiddin Usmonov

General Director of LLC “Osiyo Chemical”

General Director of LLC “Osiyo Chemical”

Vlad Negru

General Manager Formin (Exploration and Drilling Company)

Vlad Negru, General Manager and former Cheif Geologist of Formin ,is accredited at the National Agency of Mineral Resources – and Member of the Romanian Geological Society. He has spent the past year digitising and modelling geological assets in Tajikistan for Vast Resources and accumulated an understanding of the mining potential in country.

Alexander Prelea

Founder & CEO, XP Industries & Quantum Graphene Technologies

Alexander is an engineer, investor, and industrial innovator driving advancements in mining, advanced materials, and financial structuring. Founder of XP Industries and Quantum Graphene Technologies, he has led projects from modernising gold processing plants to pioneering rapid graphene production for industrial applications. With his background in Chemical and Energy Engineering and expanding into financial services and advanced materials, Alexander has built a diverse portfolio spanning process optimisation, sustainable technologies, and high-value transaction structuring. He advises on strategic industrial expansion across Europe, Central Asia, and emerging markets, and has developed strong networks across the mining, energy, and technology sectors. Alexander is an Associate Member of the Institute of Chemical Engineering as well as the Institute of Materials, Minerals, and Mining, a Member of the Institute of Directors, and an Affiliate Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Prof Reimar Seltmann

Research Leader and Head of CERCAMS

Since 2002 Head (Founder) of the Centre for Russian and Central Eurasian Mineral Studies (CERCAMS) based at the NHM, London. Commissioned research and consultancy projects in former Soviet Union (CIS), Mongolia, China and Afghanistan, including client introduction to target regions. Country and commodity studies (Cu, Au, U, PGE, Ni, base metals, Sn-W-Mo-Re-Be-REE and other rare metals, potash, fluorite, barite, aggregate, coal). Regional exploration targeting in Transeurasian Hercynian Belt (Cornwall, Krusne hory-Erzgebirge), Urals, Siberia, Gobi, Tienshan, Kyzylkum, Kazakhstan, Namibia. GIS-based studies from continental to district scale. Latest deposit case studies included Muruntau, Bakyrchik, Sukhoj Log, Kounrad, Kalmakyr, Oyu Tolgoi, Udokan, Peschanka, Dzhezkazgan.