Mr Maher, who is based in California, has extensive experience in Production, Geology, Exploration Geology and Petroleum Engineering.  He was Exploration Manager of Deminex Egypt Branch, responsible for a large exploration and appraisal drilling programme with up to seven active drilling rigs.  He then became Chief Production Geologist Occidental Petroleum (Caledonia) Inc. and supervised the production geology team which developed the Scapa field and played a key role in a 400+ million barrel increase in the reserves for Piper and Claymore fields.

Mr Bart de Boer
Appointed September 3, 2007

Mr de Boer, who is based in France, has a Masters Degree in Experimental Physics and is an expert in Reservoir Characterisation and Evaluation, Development and Production Reservoir Managemnet and Petroleum Economics and Valuation.   He started his career as a Senior Reservoir Engineer for Shell in The Hauge and then became Manager of Reservoir Engineering in Occidental's U.S. Head Office. This was followed by his appointment as the Technical Director for Exploration Consultants Limited (now Schlumberger-Geoquest RT). He now acts as an Independent Consultant to major companies and banks throughout the world providing them with Reserves/Production Evaluations and Technical Audits.
He is fluent in French, Dutch, English, Spanish and German.

Mr David Boote
Appointed October 19, 2007

Mr Boote, who is based in London is a geologist with over 30 years experience in international new venture oil and gas exploration.  He has acted as Chief Geologist Worldwide Exploration for Occidental Oil and Gas Company and was responsible for basin evaluations, play analysis, prospect generation and appraisal in most parts of the world.  He is an expert in regional stratigraphic and hydrocarbon petroleum system analysis and has written numerous publications on this topic.  He has been awarded the Wallace E. Pratt Memorial Award for the best paper published in the AAPG Bulletin.

Mr Caleb Dengu
Appointed April 17, 2009

Mr Dengu is based in The Netherlands and is responsible for the Base Metals Portfolio of the Common Fund for Commodities.  He has a detailed knowledge of the copper industry in Africa.  Previously he was a senior executive with the Eastern and Southern Africa Development Bank, financing major green field projects including new mines and Processing plants.

Mr Lewis Musasike
Appointed April 17, 2009

Mr Musasike is based in South Africa and is Chief Executive of Africa Next Investment Holdings (Africa Next).  The investment focus of Africa Next is on infrastructure, mining and resources and financial services on the African continent.  Previously Mr Musasike was the Managing Director for Banking & Trade and Head of Corporate and Investment Banking for Standard Bank Africa (a division of Standard Bank of South Africa).  Prior to working for Standard Bank, Mr Musasike occupied senior roles as the Vice-President for Private Sector and International Investments, and Treasurer at the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA):  and Head of Capital Markets and Financial Operations at the African Development Bank.

Mr Kevin Sylvester
Appointed March 14, 2008

Mr Sylvester, who is based outside London, has great technical expertise (BSc Geology, MSc Engineering & Geology) with practical application as a subsurface specialist in oil and gas exploration, explortation and development.  He has strong operations experience in onshore and offshore environs and in particular emergency response exercises.

.