NEWS RELEASE I 1 MARCH 2024
SOVEREIGN STRENGTHENS IN-COUNTRY
CAPABILITIES WITH KEY APPOINTMENTS
Sovereign Metals Limited (ASX:SVM;
AIM:SVML) (the Company or Sovereign) is pleased to announce three
senior appointments and promotions across key legal, permitting,
and technical functions in Malawi. The appointments have
strengthened the Company's in-country capabilities as it continues
to advance its Kasiya Rutile-Graphite Project (Kasiya).
Mr Maxwell Kazako has been appointed
Acting In-Country Manager following the promotion of Frank Eagar to
Managing Director. Mr Kazako has a strong background in human
resources management, general administration and government
relations. He brings over 18 years of experience to the role,
having worked across Malawian commerce and industry, including for
First Merchant Bank and Malawian Airlines.
Ms Natasha Namisengo has been
appointed General Legal Counsel. Ms Namisengo is a qualified lawyer
with a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and is admitted to practice in the
Supreme Court of Malawi. She also holds a Master's in Business
Administration (MBA). Ms
Namisengo has prior experience acting as legal counsel and in
company secretary roles in Malawi.
Mr Pilirani Bangula has been
appointed Legal Counsel - Compliance. Mr Bangula is a qualified
lawyer with 12 years of experience as a legal practitioner,
including five years specifically as in-house legal counsel. Mr
Bangula has wide-ranging experience in compliance, project
oversight and risk management, contract negotiation, and policy
drafting.
Figure 1: (left to right) Mr
Maxwell Kazako, Acting In-Country Manager, Ms Natasha Namisengo,
General Legal Counsel and Mr Pilirani Bangula, Legal Counsel -
Compliance
The
Company has also promoted Ms Tupoche Kayange to Laboratory Manager
in line with its employee training and development program. Ms
Kayange has been instrumental in developing and managing the
Company's laboratory facility in Lilongwe, Malawi. Recently, Ms
Kayange led the facility's expansion and commissioning of new
equipment to support bulk sample programs that are currently
underway.
Figure 2: Ms Tupoche Kayange,
Laboratory Manager at the Company's facility in Lilongwe,
Malawi
Sovereign understands Kasiya's
significant potential to deliver material and long-lasting social
and economic benefits for Malawi, including fiscal returns, job
creation, skills transfer, and sustainable community development
initiatives. Sovereign also recognises the importance of training
programs to enhance the capabilities of its employees. The Company
has structured training and skills transfer programs, covering
on-the-job training for full-time employees and programs for local
graduates and interns.
These appointments and promotions
align with the Company's initial targets, ensuring equal
opportunity and fairness in employing a diverse workforce and
Malawian nationals where possible. Sovereign employs over 80
individuals in Malawi, with at least 30% of the staff being
women.
ENQUIRIES
Frank Eagar (South
Africa/Malawi)
Managing Director
+61(8) 9322 6322
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Sam Cordin (Perth)
+61(8) 9322 6322
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Sapan Ghai (London)
+44 207 478 3900
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Nominated Adviser on AIM and
Joint Broker
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SP Angel Corporate Finance
LLP
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+44 20 3470 0470
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Ewan Leggat
Charlie Bouverat
Harry Davies-Ball
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Joint
Brokers
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Berenberg
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+44 20 3207 7800
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Matthew Armitt
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Jennifer Lee
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Buchanan
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+ 44 20 7466 5000
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Forward Looking Statement
This release may include forward-looking statements, which may
be identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates",
"believes", "projects", "plans", and similar expressions. These
forward-looking statements are based on Sovereign's expectations
and beliefs concerning future events. Forward looking statements
are necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors,
many of which are outside the control of Sovereign, which could
cause actual results to differ materially from such statements.
There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will
prove to be correct. Sovereign makes no undertaking to subsequently
update or revise the forward-looking statements made in this
release, to reflect the circumstances or events after the date of
that release.