Jonathan Collins new Chairman and will lead the Company’s efforts to sell Mezhlisa
The Company is pleased to announce that Board member Jonathan Collins (50) will become the new Chairman of IFOX effective 1 May 2017. Max Renard steps down as Chairman, retires from the Board and relinquishes all Company related duties with immediate effect.
Jonathan Collins is a British citizen and a licensed lawyer in Hong Kong, England and New York. He joined the Board as a non-executive director in 2015. Between 1996 and 1997, Jonathan worked as in-house legal counsel for the Company’s shareholder, FEPI. Following this, he pursued a career spanning some 19 years with the Asian based international conglomerate, Jardine Matheson, initially as legal counsel in its investment banking division, Jardine Fleming, and subsequently in various senior management positions in different Jardines’ subsidiaries. During the course of his career, Jonathan has been involved in negotiating and advising on numerous corporate transactions and M & As in China as well as other Asian countries. Jonathan has recently re-joined FEPI as General Counsel.
As the new Chairman, working closely with CEO, Anders Thorsell, Jonathan will be responsible to
- lead the company’s efforts to sell Mezhlisa either as a direct sale by IFOX or on behalf of Nickel Mountain Resources AB (NMR) under IFOX’s mandate
- co-ordinate the Company’s communications with shareholders and key partners
- co-ordinate the Company’s response to actions taken by Aktietorget
The Board is of the view that Jonathan is very well suited to negotiate and seek to close the sale of Mezhlisa, regardless whether this is with a Chinese buyer or with one of the other potential buyers formerly approached by the Company. Board member Charles Liu, based in Beijing, will take a more active role from now on. Charles will mobilise his extensive network in China and will work closely with Jonathan to optimize the efforts to close a transaction with a Chinese or Hong Kong based buyer. Max Renard has commenced the process of introducing Jonathan to the various counterparties with whom the Company is in discussion; and over the coming few weeks, he will hand over to Jonathan all discussions and contacts with potential buyers in China, India, Russia and Saudi Arabia.
Jonathan comments:
“I look forward very much to my new role in the Company and spending more time on IFOX. I am confident that a fresh approach in leading the Company’s various negotiations and discussions in relation to Mezhlisa and otherwise will have a positive impact. The Company is now focussed exclusively on its efforts to negotiate a satisfactory exit from the promising Mezhlisa investment, regardless of whether it is owned by IFOX or NMR. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Max Renard for his significant contribution over the past 3 years as Chairman.”
Following the announcement of the Company’s proposed transaction with Nickel Mountain Resources AB on 31 March 2017, Peter Klimt, former CEO and acting COO of Mehzlisa, has agreed to step down effective 30 April 2017. Peter’s duties will be taken up by Anders Thorsell. The Company thanks Peter for his efforts.
The Board of Directors
For further information, please contact:
Anders Thorsell, acting CEO
Email: anders@interfox.com tel 070-773 20 45
This is a type of information that Interfox Resources AB is obligated to disclose pursuant to the Securities Market Act and/or the Swedish Financial Instruments Trading Act. The information has been issued for publication through the agency of the contact person set out above on April 28, 2017, at 17:30 p.m. CET.
Facts about Interfox Resources AB (publ)
Interfox Resources is a Swedish exploration company with focus on exploration for oil and gas in Russia. In Russia, the company controls one combined exploration and production license in the Tomsk region of Western Siberia, the Elley-Igayskoye. The company has initiated a work program with the purpose of converting resources to reserves.
The Interfox Resources share is traded at Aktietorget under the short name IFOX.