Exploration and mineral development group, Heron Resources (ASX: HHR), has appointed finance executive Charlie Kempson as its new general manager of strategy and business development to lead its push to find a suitable merger or acquisition.
Kempson spent the past nine years as an equity partner and director of Azure Capital, a Perth-based corporate advisory firm, and is a senior corporate finance executive. During his time with Azure, he advised boards and senior executives across several industries including mining, oil and gas.
Prior to moving to Australia in 2002, Kempson spent five years with Commerzbank AG and Barclays Capital in London and Germany, along with four years in technical roles for Logica. He holds a master of engineering from the University of Oxford and a master of business administration with a finance specialisation from the University of Western Australia.
Heron highlighted Kempson’s skills in strategic analysis, business development and commerce as key in its changing business focus and said the appointment signalled its intention of completing a major transaction that would move the group into minerals production.
“We look forward to Charlie’s contribution to the company, notably in leading the team’s search for a company-changing transaction,” Heron chairman Craig Readhead said.
According to its 2012 financial report, the company is sitting on $42.4m in cash and is actively hunting for mergers and acquisitions opportunities. Targets include an Australian gold-base or copper-gold site in the near-production stage or producing assets already, or an international business in the bulk commodities sector.
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