Board & Management

Will Burbury

Non-Executive Chairman

Will Burbury practised as a corporate lawyer with a leading Australian law firm prior to entering the mining and exploration industry in 2003. He has actively identified and financed many Australian and African resources projects. He has held senior management and board positions at several private and publicly listed companies. Mr Burbury was previously Chairman of Warwick Resources Limited prior to its merger with Atlas Iron Limited in 2009. He was also formerly a director of Lonrho Mining Limited (ASX: LOM) and an executive of Nkwe Platinum Ltd (ASX: NKP).

Bruce McFadzean

Managing Director

A qualified mining engineer with more than 40 years’ experience in the global resources industry, Mr McFadzean has led the financing, development and operation of several new mines around the world.  His skills are driving the development of Sheffield’s world-class Thunderbird Minerals Sands Project.
Mr McFadzean’s professional career includes 15 years with BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto in a variety of positions and four years as Managing Director of successful Western Australia gold miner Catalpa Resources Limited (ASX:CAH). Under his management, Catalpa’s market capitalisation grew from $10 million to $1.2 billion following the Evolution merger.

David Archer

Non-Executive Director

David Archer is a geologist with more than 30 years' experience in exploration and mining in Australia. He has held senior positions with major Australian mining companies, including Renison Goldfields Consolidated Limited, and spent ten years as a director of Archer Geological Consulting specialising in project generation, geological mapping and project evaluation. Mr Archer was a consultant to Atlas Iron Limited (ASX: AGO) and Warwick Resources Limited and was responsible for significant iron ore discoveries for both companies in the Pilbara. He was also involved in the discovery of the Magellan lead mine and the Raleigh and Paradigm gold mines.

Ian Macliver

Non-Executive Director

Ian Macliver is the Executive Chairman of Grange Consulting Group Pty Ltd & Grange Capital Partners. Prior to establishing Grange he held positions in various listed and corporate advisory companies.  His experience covers all areas of corporate activity including capital raisings, acquisitions, divestments, takeovers, business and strategic planning, debt and equity reconstructions, operating projects and financial review and valuations.  Mr Macliver is the Non-Executive Chairman of Western Areas Ltd and Non-Executive Director Otto Energy Ltd.

John Richards

Non-Executive Director

John Richards is an economist with more than 35 years' experience in the resources industry; holding various positions within mining companies, investment banks and private equity groups. He has been involved in a wide range of mining M&A transaction in multiple jurisdictions.  Mr Richards is an Independent Non-Executive Director; holding previous positions at Normandy Mining Ltd, Standard Bank, Buka Minerals and Global Natural Resources Investments; he joined the Saracen Mineral Holdings Ltd Board in 2019 as a Non-Executive Director.

Stuart Pether

Chief Operating Officer

Stuart Pether is a mining professional with over 25 years’ experience in the resources industry. His experience includes project development, technical studies, mine operations and corporate management. Most recently, Mr Pether was the CEO of Kula Gold Limited.  He was previously Vice President, Project Development for Evolution Mining Chief Operating Officer for Catalpa Resources. Mr Pether holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Mining) from the Western Australian School of Mines, is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and a committee member of WASM Alumni.

Jim Netterfield

General Manager, Engineering & Processing

Mr Netterfield has more than 25 years’ experience in the resources industry and a proven track record in successfully managing mineral development projects through to production. He was responsible for delivering the definitive feasibility study (DFS) for Sheffield's flagship Thunderbird Mineral Sands Project.
Mr Netterfield’s professional career includes 11 years with BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto in a variety of senior operations roles, including Vice President Railway & Ports, Vice President Operations and Manager Operations, Dampier. More recently, he served for four years as acting CEO and Operations Director at Oakajee Port & Rail Pty Ltd, leading the feasibility studies for Mitsubishi’s $10 billion magnetite iron ore project. In addition, he has held senior operations roles with Minara Resources, Tomago Aluminium Company and Janus Consulting Australia.

Mark Di Silvio

CFO and Company Secretary

Mr Di Silvio is a CPA and MBA qualified finance professional with over 30 years’ resources industry experience. Mr Di Silvio’s professional career includes gold operations and project development experience both in Australia and overseas, senior finance roles with Woodside Petroleum Limited in Australia and Africa prior to joining Centamin Plc (TSX, LSE listed) as CFO. His most recent position was CFO for Toronto listed Mawson West Limited. Mr Di Silvio has  significant experience in financial management, debt and offtake funding and product offtake agreements which is a key requirement for Sheffield as it advances the development of the Thunderbird Mineral Sands Project.

Neil Patten-Williams

General Manager, Marketing

Mr Patten-Williams has more than 20 years’ experience in the resources industry, including five years as Sales and Marketing Manager for established mineral sands producer the Doral Group, where he was responsible for marketing, logistics and sales globally. Mr Patten-Williams has a strong background in both zircon and titanium mineral products. Prior to his appointment as Sales and Marketing Manager at Doral, he was Operations Manager of the Doral Fused Materials Plant in WA for five years responsible for all aspects of safety, operations and maintenance and also spent five years as the company’s Zirconia Operations Manager. As a metallurgist with hands-on operational experience Mr Patten-Williams has a unique blend of commercial, global marketing and operational skills in the mineral sands industry.

Vanessa Hughes

General Manager, People and Community

Vanessa is a qualified human resource executive with more than 25 years’ experience in Australia and Africa and has previously held senior roles at Resolute Mining, Millennium Minerals and Integra Mining.

She is highly skilled in building teams, engaging and developing people, and more broadly, fostering sustainable partnerships with communities as part of our social licence to operate.