Amur Minerals Corporation (AIM: AMC), the exploration and development company focused on base metal projects located in the Far East of Russia, has told DirectorsTalk that the Company has appointed Mr. Ljupco Naumovski to the Board as a Non-Executive Director, effective 2 January 2017.
Mr. Naumovski has more than three decades of experience working in Russia, most recently as Vice President and General Director of the Moscow office for Kinross Gold Corporation (“Kinross”), the largest Canadian investor in Russia. He also developed the business of Visa International, serving as Senior Vice President and General Manager Visa International Service Organisation (VISA), CEMEA region. Additionally, he served as Senior Banker and Head of Mission for the Russian Team of the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (“EBRD” or the “Bank”) in Moscow. While at EBRD, the Bank undertook more than half a billion dollars in financing of various projects, and he represented the Bank when the Russian Prime Minister’s Foreign Investment Advisory Council was first founded.
His first exposure to Russian government contacts and business development came as Commercial Secretary for the Canadian Embassy in Moscow and later Deputy Director for USSR and Eastern Europe for the Canadian Department of External Affairs and International Trade.
As Vice President of Kinross, Mr. Naumovski has been responsible for government relations and business development following Kinross’s acquisition of the Kupol mine in Chukotka. He represented Kinross on the Executive Committee of Local Representatives of Prime Minister Putin’s Foreign Investment Advisory Council (FIAC), and also supervised the successful preparation and submission of applications to the Russian Government Commission on the Control of Foreign Investments in 2010 and 2011 that led to two approvals for Kinross’ ownership of 100 per cent of strategic gold deposits in Russia.
Mr. Naumovski was the lead in the development of three Kinross White Papers for the Russian Government providing approaches to improving the overall business environment for miners; in 2011: “Fostering Foreign Investment in Mineral Resource Exploration and Development in Russia”, in 2013: “The Role of Foreign Direct Investment in the Socio-Economic Development of the Russian Far East”, and in 2014: “Encouraging Subsoil Investment: Geological Exploration and Mine Development in Russia”.
Mr. Naumovski has a BA (Honours) in Economics and Political Science from the University of Toronto and an MA in International Relations (specialised in Russian / Soviet affairs) from the Norman Patterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada.
Mr. Naumovski is also currently an Honorary Member of the Board of Directors of Macedonia 2025, a non-profit international association of Macedonians in the Diaspora dedicated to supporting the economic and social development of the Republic of Macedonia.
Mr. Naumovski is a fluent Russian speaker with an impressive history of working at the highest levels of the Russian government and regulatory regimes in the fields of mining, finance and investment.
Robin Young, CEO of Amur Minerals Corporation, commented:
“It is with pleasure that we welcome the addition of Lou to Amur. He is a highly qualified and well respected Russian expert, having started his career in diplomacy and then moving into finance, business development and mining. Lou’s unparalleled Russia-specific knowledge, contacts, financial experience and business acumen further enhances the strength of Amur’s Board as we continue with the development of our Kun-Manie nickel project. We are delighted to have him on board.”
