Dealmakers Den

Erez Ichilov

Founder and Manager

Cedrus Arbor LLC

Erez Ichilov is a seasoned mining and metals executive, director, advisor and investor, with a legal and financial background. As of 2024, he is acting through his newly formed Cedrus Arbor LLC., and he is focused now mainly on projects for responsible mining of Battery Materials and other Critical Minerals and sustainable and processing technologies enabling the transition to renewable energy sources and electric transportation on route to global Carbon neutrality. 
 
From 2012 to 2023 he served as Managing Director at Traxys Project LP, the investments and projects arm of the Traxys Group, a well-established global physical trading house with an annual turnover of ~US $10 billion and approximately 500 employees, he led the direct and pooled investments Traxys made into Li-Cycle Holdings Corp. (LICY: NYSE), Nouveau Monde Graphite (TSXV: NOU.V), Talon Metals (TSX: TLO) and Nemaska Lithium (exchanged in 2022 for Livent Corp. (LTHM:NYSE) shares), Princeton Nuenergy, Nzuri Copper, a private high grade Manganese company is South Africa and more. 
 
Previously Mr. Ichilov was the Deputy CEO – Corporate Development of the Ferro-Nickel miner and producer Cunico Resources N.V (2008-2012), then an important producer of refined ferronickel in its two plants and integrated mines in Kosovo and North Macedonia, acquired mines in Guatemala and cooperated and traded with mines in Indonesia, Philippines, Albania and Turkey, and  had approximately 3,000 employees and reached annual production of approximately 30,000 tons of nickel (contained in Ferro-Nickel and sold globally to major stainless-steel companies).

Joseph Brady

Investment Manager

La Mancha

Joseph joined La Mancha in 2022 as an Investment Manager, where he plays a key role in managing the firm’s existing investments and portfolio companies’ development projects, and evaluating new opportunities. His responsibilities include overseeing due diligence processes, conducting financial modeling and valuation. Prior to joining La Mancha, Joseph worked as an Equity Research Associate for BMO Capital Markets, within its top-ranked global metal and mining, research team. During his time at BMO Joseph’s coverage had a geographical emphasis on Africa, but included a range of commodities, including gold, PGMs and diamonds. Joseph is a Mining Engineering graduate of the Camborne School of Mines and holds a Master’s in Metals and Energy Finance from Imperial College London.
 

Thobela Bixa

Mining Research Analyst

NedBank

Mulumba Lwatula

Deputy Head Investments – Mining

Industrial Development Corporation

Mulumba Lwatula is a technologist and investor based in Lusaka, Zambia. With over 20 years of experience across diverse markets including Liberia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, the United States, and Zambia, he excels in strategy, investments, and developing technology-driven solutions.

Beyond his corporate endeavors, Mulumba co-hosts Scale Up Africa, a podcast on fostering resilient African entrepreneurs. An Angel Investor, keynote speaker, and advisor to founders and startups, he publishes a newsletter on leveraging human capital, technology, and investments to solve Africa's challenges on his blog - https://mulu.mba.

Mulumba's journey is driven by a passion for continuous learning and a commitment to contribute meaningfully to Africa's economic development. Through his dedication to fostering innovation and collaboration, he remains focused on making a tangible impact on the continent's economic landscape.
 

Navesh Ragoonanthun

MD Energy and Natural Resources

Peterhouse Capital

Richard Tayelor

Chief Investment Officer

Horizon Corporation

Tshepo Pitse

Principal: Mining and Resources Investment Banking

Nedbank

Willem Middelkoop

Deputy Head Investments – Mining

Industrial Development Corporation