Lithium Australia strengthens board and management team as strategy gains momentum

Lithium Australia NL (ASX:LIT) (OTCMKTS:LMMFF) (FRA:3MW) has appointed two well-credentialed professionals who will enhance the capacity of its board and management team.

This comes as the company gains considerable momentum with its lithium chemicals strategy to serve the battery industry.

The appointments of Phil Thick as a non-executive director and Stuart Tarrant as chief financial officer coincide with the company recruiting for several executive positions.

Gaining momentum

Lithium Australia is rapidly advancing projects to cater for:

• A definitive feasibility study on the manufacture of lithium Ferro phosphate (LFP) cathode powder;
• Pilot testing of LieNA® (hydrometallurgical recovery of lithium from spodumene and direct feed to LFP production);
• A pre-feasibility study on the LieNA® process;
• Volume increase of spent batteries to be recycled by subsidiary Envirostream Australia Pty Ltd as the national battery stewardship scheme is implemented; and
• Anticipated sales increases through 50% owned Soluna Australia (lithium ion-based energy storage systems).

Welcomed to the team

Lithium Australia MD Adrian Griffin said: “Lithium Australia welcomes Phil Thick and Stuart Tarrant to the team.

“Phil brings a wealth of knowledge in lithium chemicals and project implementation.

“His experience and management skills will reinforce the board’s capacity to deliver our planned outcomes.

“Stuart has an outstanding track record in financial and capital management at the top end of the mining industry.

“His determination will be invaluable as we advance our projects towards commercialisation.”

Phil Thick experience

Phil Thick has more than 30 years of senior executive experience in oil and gas, mining and chemical processing in large multinational companies, smaller ASX-listed companies and privately-owned companies.

In addition, he has extensive experience on many boards in non-executive director roles and has chaired many of those boards for extended periods.

Thick had a 20-year career with Shell in Australia and overseas, and for the last three years was a downstream director on the board of Shell Australia.

This was followed by five years as a director and CEO of Coogee Chemicals and then four years as CEO of New Standard Energy.

For the past 4-and-a-half years Thick headed up Tianqi Lithium Australia, a subsidiary of Tianqi Lithium Corp out of China, one of the world’s largest lithium companies.

He also chairs the boards of the Chamber of Arts and Culture WA and Perth Symphony Orchestra.

Stuart Tarrant experience

Stuart Tarrant is a senior finance professional with more than 20 years of experience, most of which has been gained in rapidly growing or changing environments.

He has worked within a range of industries including mineral extraction, mineral exploration, financial institutions and agribusiness.

Tarrant’s most recent role was as chief financial officer at Danakali Limited (ASX:DNK) which is developing the world-class Colluli Potash Project in Eritrea, East Africa.

Before Danakali, he held roles with BHP, Leighton Contractors and Great Southern Limited as well as consulting to small and mid-sized enterprises.

Tarrant brings specific expertise in fundraising, strategic analysis, governance and compliance with a focus on value creation.

Barry Woodhouse will continue as company secretary.

Story by ProactiveInvestors