Finding the Front

Simon Lee AO, Non Executive Director (former Chair) of Emerald Resources

This episode of Finding the Front is simply quite special. It is like a feature length movie and will no doubt provide you another person’s perspective. The takeaways are something else.

Our guest is Malaysian born Mr Simon Lee AO, the recent former Chair and current Non-Exec. Dir. of ASX listed Emerald Resources. This is a story that covers humble beginnings, global business, leadership, immense WA gold mining success and extreme generosity.

After embracing a fortunate opportunity to study in Perth and a globally diversified business career that followed, then starts a strong and treasured relationship with WA, the WA Gold Mining Industry and the people involved. The story just gets better and better. It includes his formative insights into gold company success stories Samantha, Equigold and Emerald Resources, and the people who have been close to him and played an integral part along the way.

Simon’s largely unknown, enormously impactful philanthropic contributions have been wide ranging. Add to this his role in assisting politicians at both a federal and state level and establishing the WA Chinese Chamber of Commerce in the late 1980s you can understand why Simon was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for service to the development of Australian-Asia trade relations and to the Chinese community.

Journeys like this do not come along often.

Nick Griffin, Founder & CIO of Munro Partners

Our special guest for this brand new episode is Mr Nick Griffin, the founding partner & chief investment officer for highly regarded funds management business Munro Partners. Munro Partners was founded in 2016 as an investment manager with a core focus on global growth equities and has grown and grown having now some $4.5 billion dollars of funds under their management. Nick provides some fantastic insights into his background, how he commenced on a  20+ year pathway in funds management and his wider views on the exciting world of global investing including growth investing, what they look for and how they assess big structural changes and identify companies that will participate in these changes. The conversation includes the key characteristics that makes a great growth company, a thorough insight into an emerging structural change being that of artificial intelligence, and other areas they are considering including the current market conditions. There really are many fantastic takeaways from Nick’s well delivered insights.

Ben Macnamara, CEO of CBH Group

Welcome to another brand new episode of Euroz Hartleys Finding the Front! With Euroz Hartleys being the Principal Partner for the upcoming Dowerin Machinery Field Days at the end of this month we thought it would be a fantastic opportunity to spend some time again, and get an update from, the CEO of the CBH Group, Mr Ben Macnamara. Ben was a guest on Finding the Front back in early 2022 when he had just been appointed to the role of CEO, a huge responsibility. That episode was very well received.

Over the past 18 months CBH has experienced pressure packed back to back bumper record breaking crops which has required some serious thought and action on key infrastructure to handle such a massive volume of grain.

Ben provides his insights into the last 18 months covering all the challenges and opportunities faced including infrastructure, truck and rail transport, port capacity, shipping, market pricing and fertiliser. He also delivers his insights into the CBH strategy on their pathway to 2033. For those who are involved in agriculture or love the land this is a must listen as it is a powerful insight  and a classic example of the incredibly important role agriculture, farmers and grain growers play in the success of this amazing state.

Charlie Bass, Managing Director of Eagle Mountain Mining

This episode we certainly have a special opportunity to spend some time with a veteran of some 50 years of the mining industry, someone who originated from the US and travelled out to WA, who has dedicated himself to geology, mineral processing and mining in the US, Canada and Australia and someone who backed himself in from the very start. He simply just loves the mining and resources industry.

Our guest is none other than Charlie Bass. Charlie co-founded Eagle Mining in 1992. The company won both explorer of the year and then Developer of the Year at  the Diggers & Dealers before being subject to a hostile takeover in 1997. He then co-founded Aquila Resources in 2000 transitioning it from a gold explorer to iron ore and coal before it too was subject to a hostile $1.4 billion takeover in 2014 at the hands of a joint bid between Baosteel and ASX listed Aurizon. These days Charlie is still heavily involved in mining being the Managing Director of Eagle Mountain Mining, is active in philanthropy and, with his own hard earned money, is the founder and Chairman of the Centre of Entrepreneurial Research and Innovation, fostering a start-up culture to drive the future economy of WA.

This story delivers some serious insights and understanding into life of a very successful and passionate mining entrepreneur and historic big WA deals.

Geoff Wilson AO, Chair & Chief Investment Officer of Wilson Asset Management

In this episode of Euroz Hartleys Finding the Front our guest is none other than 40 plus year funds management industry icon, Mr Geoff Wilson AO, the Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of Wilson Asset Management.

There is so much packed into this captivating conversation that is very hard to cover in an intro but there are many, many takeaways from a journey in investment management that has seen Geoff build a business that now manages some $5 billion in shareholder capital on behalf of more than 130,000 retail investors.

In the first half of this podcast we cover off on Geoff growing up, some of the sliding door moments he encountered, his career history and learnings both domestically and internationally, including working in the extravagant 80s and then some of his insights on the impact of the ’87 crash. We then take some time to look at what prompted him to make the decision to go out on his own and kick start Wilson Asset Management.

In the second half we go through the detail of the origins of Wilson Asset Management, the keys to it’s success so far, the setting up of the Future Generation companies to give back, being an advocate for retail investors and the importance of this role and challenges that come with it, and then finish off with some general questions to Geoff on funds management, investing, and important factors to consider, and his view on the markets going forward.

We really hope you enjoy this journey.

Kerry Harmanis, Chair of Talisman Mining

In this episode of Euroz Hartleys Finding the Front we have a wonderful opportunity to speak with Western Australian 40+ year mining veteran Kerry Harmanis. Kerry is the Chair of Australian mineral and development company Talisman Mining. Prior to this, Kerry was the noted founder and former Chair of Jubilee Mines until its acquisition by Xstrata for A$3.1 billion in October 2007 – one of WA’s most talked about mining deals.

This is just a cracker of a story that makes for such interesting listening. We learn from Kerry about his upbringing in Darwin, how he started out in mining and managed to fund himself during the really early days through a van selling fish on the beach, his love of exploration, building Jubilee Mines and the discovery of the famous Cosmos Nickel system and his insights into the acquisition by Xstrata and how it all came about. Throw into this his love and passion for Mindful Meditation Australia and Music and it makes for compelling listening.

Elizabeth Gaines, Non-Executive Director and Global Ambassador of Fortescue Metals Group

In this episode of Euroz Hartleys Finding the Front we have a seriously super opportunity to sit down for a chat with one of Western Australia and Australia’s leading corporate and business leaders, long time Board member and former CEO of Fortescue Metals Group, Elizabeth Gaines.

To give you an idea of Elizabeth’s career recognition for those that aren’t familiar, she ranked second in the 2019 Fortune Magazine's Businessperson of the Year, in 2020 the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia awarded her the ‘Women in Resources Champion’ at the annual Women in Resources Awards and also in 2020, she was also awarded Joint Australian Business Person of the Year by the Australian Financial Review.

This podcast provides our listeners with a wonderful opportunity to hear about Elizabeth’s background on where she grew up in far northern and country WA, her close family environment through to a diversified international corporate career and experiences she has gained over many years at the top that delivers some amazing insights and captivating listening.

There are so many takeaways and perspectives from Elizabeth in this conversation  - we hope you enjoy.

Paul Anderson, Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of Orthocell

In this episode we are hugely fortunate to have an absolute leader in their very specialist field join us on the show.

Our special guest is Mr Paul Anderson, CEO and Managing Director of ASX listed regenerative medicine company Orthocell.

Paul is a veteran of the regenerative medicine field which is a technology that has emerged over the last 20 years. The focus began with using cellular therapy for the regeneration of damaged cartilage. This focus, combined with Paul’s passion for his craft, has progressed through the founding of Orthocell to commercialising a range of different products for nerve, bone, tendon, ligament cartilage and soft tissue repair and regeneration – and includes doing a multi-million dollar deal with one of the largest dental companies in the world today.

This is a seriously great chat into entrepreneurialism and business building over the long term. We gain a look at Paul’s background and how he arrived in his field of expertise with an overview of a journey that has so many insights and takeaways.

Ben Griffiths, Co-founder & Managing Director of Eley Griffiths Group

This episode we have the wonderful opportunity of having a highly regarded, veteran of the Funds Management industry on the show. Our special guest is Mr Ben Griffiths, the co founder of well known small and emerging company investment specialists Eley Griffiths.

Ben, who is based in Sydney and on a visit to Perth, grew up on the beautiful eastern suburbs beaches of Bronte, Tamarama and Bondi.  In this podcast, we take the time out to learn about Ben’s life and career journey where he has accumulated some 30 years of financial markets experience. This includes kicking off his love of investing at the early age of 16, how he started in Funds Management, learning the power of compounding, right through to co-founding Eley Griffiths Group with colleague and friend Brian Eley.

In this wide ranging conversation, Ben provides a provides a detailed look into the process of investing, small companies and gives his views on the current investing environment.

Ben has so much experience and provides a seriously good insight into life as a long time Fund Manager and the passion he has for his craft. There are many takeaways from this chat – we hope you enjoy.

Tim Goyder, Chair of Liontown Resources & DevEx Resources

What an opportunity we have in this episode to spend some time with  our very special guest, Western Australian Entrepreneur, 40 plus year prospector, business owner and mining veteran Mr Tim Goyder.  Tim, who is Chair of Liontown Resources and DevEx Resources and former Chair of Chalice Mining,  was recently awarded the prestigious GJ Stokes Memorial Award at the 2022 Diggers and Dealers in Kalgoorlie for his significant and lasting contribution to the Mining Industry.

In this captivating and seriously insightful chat Tim shares his epic journey including family and life, his upbringing on the farm, prospecting and pegging his first tenements in his early 20s including his early dealings with Hancock and Wright, the early days of getting involved in listed companies, running a goldfields drilling company right through to the background and story behind his involvement in DevEx Resources and the two well documented success stories that eventuated being Chalice Mining and Liontown Resources. He also provides a wonderful look at a career dedicated to the Mining Industry and how he navigated his way through all the challenges to get to where he is today.

There are so many takeaways on life in this conversation - the ups and the downs - that come along the way in pursuit of a passion – delivered with humility and humour. It makes for compelling listening!

For more information visit the Euroz Hartleys website