Our Team

Metallicum Minerals Corporation Pty Ltd is a team of dedicated professionals who are committed to making the transition to a future life built on new knowledge and technologies.

Governance Board

Chris Bevan

Executive Chairperson and Director

Chris is a Barrister with over 30 years’ experience. He has a Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Laws, and a Master of Laws (Hons) from The University of Sydney. Chris practises in the areas of Commonwealth and State taxes, corporations law, trust law and commercial law. His equity specialty is in tax law. He has advised the Australian government since 2008 on a number of international tax reform proposals, as well as being an advisor on corporate private equity and joint venture projects.

Chris is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia and the Tax Institute. He is Vice-Chair and a non-executive director of ADHD Australia Limited, the peak NFP body for ADHD. Chris' interests include improving governance standards in the NFP sector.

Mark Arnold

Non-Executive Director

Mark is a corporate management professional with over 40 years’ experience, predominantly within the wine, liquor and associated industries/sectors. He has crossed all areas of production/production line management, farming, product development, marketing, export, import, retail, wholesale, consultancy, property development, directorship and top-level management. He has worked in some 25 countries including the UK, USA, China and France during his career.

He successfully established, operated and sold a number of businesses including retail, wholesale, production and farming assets. This success has been achieved in various capacities: owner, shareholder, partner and manager on behalf of several companies.
Mark has managed and worked with legal, accountancy, OH&S, statutory bodies, government bodies, compliance, production groups, organisations, boards and shareholders. He is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Richard Attrill

Non-Executive Director

With a distinguished thirty-year career in investment banking, Richard has led global risk trading businesses, international sales teams across Europe, Asia and North America, and advisory-quant and structuring solutions teams. Renowned for his strategic thinking and problem-solving and building businesses, Richard generates innovative ideas and takes a solution-driven approach to tackling complex challenges. Richard has played a key role in developing new financial products, award-winning sales platforms, cross-asset derivative trading systems and creating high-performing teams.
Richard’s diverse client experience includes multinational corporations, sovereign wealth funds, superannuation funds, hedge funds, asset managers, and private banking institutions. Richard has been actively involved in governance and leadership teams, contributing to compliance, operational risk management, product development, executive compensation and promotion committees.

More recently, as the founder of a leadership and business consultancy practice, Richard has partnered with his clients to deliver scalable leadership and mentoring programs (based on evidence based positive psychology), to a broad range of industries, including investment and commercial banking, superannuation, insurance, manufacturing, agriculture and non-profit organisations.
Holding a Master’s in Coaching Psychology and driven by a deep passion for people development, he specialises in helping organisations and their leaders reach their full potential. 3Qetc prides itself with its data-driven insights, 3Qetc recently conducted research involving 350 executives (CEOs, MDs, GMs, Senior leaders) across eight organisations, analysing high-performing teams and identifying leadership blind spots. Richard is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).

Greg Napper

Director, Chief Project Engineer

Greg is a hydraulic engineer with a proven record of accomplishment in project and design management for large scale public and private sector infrastructure projects. He has led many teams in the role of design manager for site wide infrastructure, orchestrating the delivery of supply connections to high voltage transmission networks and reticulation to kiosk transformers and substations, ring main units, low voltage, communications, external lighting, and security networks. Above the ground, Greg is skilled in the co-ordination and management of REVIT and 3D BIM delivery across all MEPF building services sectors. He also corresponds, negotiations and seeks approvals from supply authority and utility operators for various utility connections.

Over his career, Greg has developed significant experience in project planning, documentation and delivery of in-ground and above ground infrastructure services working across all sectors including mining, commercial buildings, correctional centres, healthcare and residential markets. During his 40-year career, he has worked for companies such as Connell Wagner/Aurecon, Rio Tinto, Jacobs, Axis Consulting and Henry & Hymas. Greg currently leads the Advice Design Engineering and Delivery - Procurement and Construction Management teams of architects, quantity surveyors and engineering advisors for MMC's refinery project.

Steven Shaw

Non-Executive Director

Steven Shaw has worked as a Principal Adviser and Investor Relations leader with significant board level experience and gained over 20 years across the finance, private wealth and asset management industries. He is an ASIC-appointed Responsible Manager, having developed and implemented compliance policies that ensure best practices and regulatory adherence.

Steven’s career spans senior roles at Macquarie Bank, NAB Private and Woodbury Financial Services, as well as running his own financial planning practice. His most recent role is as Investor Relations and Operational Leader at Dorado Property, leading a high-performing team, attracting top talent from institutions like Macquarie Bank, KPMG, NAB and JLL, and implementing strategic growth initiatives. Earlier, Steven held senior advisory roles at Clime Asset Management, Mercer Financial Advice and Macquarie Bank, where he drove compliance excellence, provided tailored financial planning solutions and enhanced client satisfaction.
Steven is currently pursuing an MBA at Kaplan Business School with specialisations in consumer behaviour, marketing psychology and entrepreneurship. He holds a Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning, an SMSF Specialist Accreditation, FASEA compliance and advanced financial planning and business insurance qualifications.

Advisory Board

Professor John Mavrogenes

Member

John Mavrogenes grew up in Chicago, Illinois and majored in Geology at Beloit College in Wisconsin. He completed a PhD in Geochemistry at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute in 1994 before moving to the Australian National University in Canberra for a three-year post-doctoral fellowship funded by Western Mining Corporation. He is still at ANU as Professor of Economic Geology, researching and teaching ore deposit geology. He has supervised more than 50 honours and 25 PhD students over these years, covering a range of ore deposit types and experimental simulations of ore forming processes.

For the past decade John has focused on the study of Australian rare earth deposits, including hosting the first two national conferences on rare earth deposits at ANU (REECON). In 2023 he received the Joe Harms medal from the Geological Society of Australia for lifetime achievement in economic geology research.

Professor Sami Kara

Member

Sami Kara is a professor of sustainable manufacturing and life cycle engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney (www.lceresearch.unsw.edu.au). He has a professional background of more than 30 years in industry, research and tertiary education, including several engineering and management positions in manufacturing companies in Australia and around the world.

His research interest is in developing technology solutions with a life cycle view by using circular economy strategies to decarbonize and reduce environmental impact of manufacturing industry while helping them create value. He is regularly invited as a Subject Matter Expert to review Australian and international government proposals for decarbonisation of the manufacturing sector and environmental sustainability. He also works as an advisor for various international organisations, providing strategic directions to them on how to decarbonise as they move towards achieving their net-zero targets.
Professor Kara is an elected fellow of the International Academy of Production Engineering (CIRP), the Royal Society of New South Wales, UNSW Scientia Education Academy, the International Academy of Engineering and Technology (AET), and the German National Academy of Science and Engineering (ACATECH).

Irfan Malik

Member

Irfan Malik is the National Associate Chair and NSW President of the Australia India Business Council. He is also Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of inQ innovation, with offices in Sydney, Dubai, Bengaluru and Kochi, India.

Irfan’s experience includes start-up and innovations eco-system curation and launch, global incubator and accelerator start-up networks, start-up investments and fundraising, global innovation bridge programs between Australia and India and the Middle-East/Asia-Pac, senior IT leadership, IT strategy and governance, business technology innovation, enterprise mobility solutions, enterprise business intelligence and digital applications. He has also been involved with business relationship management, program management, application development, client account management and vendor partner management.
He is well recognised in IT/Business leadership community and acknowledged as an “Innovation champion” for thought leadership and bringing “outside in” to enrich delivery practices and processes for successful business outcomes.

Mark Purcell AM

Member

Mark Purcell AM is a Rear Admiral who served in the Royal Australian Navy from 1985 until his retirement in 2016. He was engaged in a wide range of roles during his time in the Navy and has a Master of Science in Military Electronic Systems Engineering, and a Master of Business Administration. After he left the Navy, Mark has focused on advising government and other organisations on strategic and defence issues, and renewable energy. Please see the Announcements page for further information.

Senior Management

Warren Wickman

Chief Operating Officer

Warren has worked in both government and private organisations in the arts, media and management. After graduating from The University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons), he was a curator at the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences in Sydney. This was followed as the manager of a publishing company, two bookshops and as a data manager in media and events businesses. He has been interested in renewable energy and the energy transition since 2012, especially hydropower, and more recently rare earth elements, their importance and applications in modern, future-facing technology.

Warren has co-authored three books and his interests include Roman history and archaeology, the history of photography and Australia during the decade of the 1850s.

James Bevan

Chief Financial Officer & Assistant Company Secretary

James is a practising public accountant, with a Bachelor of Arts (Business Law) and a Graduate Diploma in Forensic Accounting, both from Macquarie University, Sydney. James is a member of the Institute of Public Accountants.
He advises corporations and investment firms on financial reporting, corporate finance and accounting procedures. He sits on the advisory panel of Guide Dogs NSW.
James’ interests include history and culture, sport, foreign languages and travel.

Arthur Kassabian

Chief Information Officer

Arthur has a Bachelor of Business (majoring in Economics Finance) from the University of Technology Sydney and a Diploma of Gemology from the Gemology Association of Australia. He has worked in a number of roles in sales, data research and as a manager in business development.
Arthur’s interests include gemology, history, cinema and film making.

Barry Groom

Head of Customer Relations and Marketing

After graduating from The University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons), Barry worked in the heritage sector and museums for a number of years. Using his writing and marketing skills, he moved into fundraising and then marketing as a copywriter and creative director for agencies such as Ogilvy & Mather and K&D Bond.

In the early 1990s, he co-founded Boomerang Integrated Marketing & Advertising, which grew to a staff of 70 before being sold in 2009. Barry specialises in building client relationships, creative direction and strategy development. He has advised many dozens of clients, including companies and organisations such as Toyota, Fuji Xerox, Australand (now Frasers Property), IBM, The Fred Hollows Foundation, The Smith Family and The Garvan Institute of Medical Research.
Barry is a published author and spends his spare time reading history books, among other things.

David Green

Head of Quality Control

David is a seasoned professional manager with over 30 years of experience in the design and manufacture of high-tech scientific instrumentation and equipment. David's hands-on approach and data-centric management style have earned him a reputation for maximising the effectiveness of a company's assets, its people and processes. His career has given him a deep understanding of the various applications of this equipment which is used extensively for elemental analysis in the environmental and mining area. His leadership has been instrumental in green fielding a factory in Malaysia for manufacturing a range of elemental spectrometers, showcasing his ability to drive successful operations on a global scale.

Throughout his career, David has held senior management positions in Quality, Operations, and General Management, highlighting his versatility and proficiency across various domains within the manufacturing sector. His commitment to excellence, regulatory compliance and continuous improvement has been evident in his leadership roles, where he consistently strives to achieve the best outcomes for the organisation.

Advisor

Professor Rob Thomas

Chief Scientist

Associate Professor Rob Thomas is an independent scientific and commercial advisor for mining, water resources and agriculture projects. Rob is highly regarded for his expertise and strategic approach, built over 45 years of experience working as a scientific program manager, environmental regulator, natural resources manager, board director and strategic adviser.

Rob worked for the South Australian government as Chief Scientific Advisor at the Department of Energy and Mining (DEM) from 2011 until March 2025. He was Chief of Aquatic Sciences at SARDI, the SA Government’s principal research institute, from 2009 to 2011 and Chief of SARDI Sustainable Systems from 2002 – 2009. Other roles have included Chief Executive at the Department for Water Resources, 2000 – 2002, Executive Director, Environment Protection Authority, 1992 – 2000, an Industry Executive with Kinhill Engineers from 1988 – 1992 and Manager of Environmental Studies and Marine Science Group at Kinhill, 1981 – 1988.
Major initiatives Rob has been recently instrumental in include as Project Leader for the Critical Minerals Plan for South Australia, 2023 – 2024, as the SA Copper Strategy Adviser, as Lead Environmental Adviser for the Port Bonython Hydrogen Hub 2023 – 2024, DEM Leader for the Northern Water Supply Project 2022 and Principal Adviser for the BHP Olympic Dam Expansion in 2011. Apart from his extensive work in Australia, Rob also has experience working in the United Kingdom and Indonesia.
Rob was made an Associate Professor (Honorary) at The University of Adelaide in 2008. He was awarded a Master of Philosophy in Applied Biology from Brunel University in London in 1975, a Bachelor of Science in Zoology (Hons) from The University of Adelaide in 1972 and a Bachelor of Science in Geology at The University of Adelaide in 1970.
Rob was presented with the SA Premier’s Water Medal 2014.