Natural Resources Forum

The first in a series of on-line panel discussions hosted during "ESG Week: Challenges and Opportunities in the Mining Sector" we hear from investors and key advisers how awareness and understanding of ESG risks in the minerals exploration and mining industry is increasing among the investment community. We discuss what responsible investors are looking for, their role at developing ESG programs as a critical component of company strategies and business planning, and how long term investment goals are shaping the new horizons.

Chair:

Iain Duncan, Simmons & Simmons, Partner, Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure

Iain is the head of our Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure Group in the UK. He acts for Investment Funds and Corporates and is a leading practitioner in relation to mining & metals and power transactions.

He advises on M&A, projects, joint ventures and finance matters (including prepays, streams and royalties). Clients note “he is very focused, experienced and practical and has a very collaborative approach” (Chambers 2020), “I have great faith in his advice and judgement” (Chambers 2019), he is “diligent and experienced and a lawyer who listens well and understands” (Chambers 2017) and “really driven, works night and day on deals and is great on the documents” (Chambers 2016).

Speakers:

Mike Barton, Orion Resource Partners, Portfolio Manager

Mr. Barton has been a Portfolio Manager at Orion since 2016 and runs Orion’s London office. Orion is a leading specialist mining investor, managing approximately US$5bn of investment in equity, debt, stream and offtake investment in mining companies worldwide. Prior to Orion, Mr. Barton was Chief Executive Officer of Pala Investments, a mining‐focused investment company, joining shortly after its formation in 2006. Before joining Pala, Mr. Barton was Vice President at Hatch Corporate Finance (now HCF International Advisers), a mining and metals‐focused corporate finance boutique and was a Manager at Deloitte & Touche. Mr. Barton holds a First Class Honours degree in Geography from the University of Leicester. He is a qualified chartered accountant (ICAEW).

Michael Canfield, ManGroup, RI Leaders Fund Portfolio Manager

Michael Canfield is a lead long-only Portfolio Manager at Man GLG, focusing on dedicated responsible investment strategies. He has been the sole portfolio manager of an environmental strategy since 2015. In this role, Michael has spoken widely on environmental and carbon pricing issues at external conferences. His approach is bottom-up, particularly based on FCF-yield analysis and active engagement with corporate management teams. Previously, he was responsible for Man Group’s global alpha capture platform.

Before joining Man GLG in 2009, Michael spent two and a half years at Dresdner Kleinwort as an Associate in Pan European Equity Sales.

Michael was educated in English Language & Literature at Oxford University.

Natasha Braginsky, retired partner of Capital Group

Natasha Braginsky Mounier is a retired partner of Capital Group, where most recently, she was the global head of ESG. Natasha has 24 years of international equity investment experience, of which 17 years with Capital in New York and London. Prior to joining Capital, she was a corporate finance associate in New York at J.P. Morgan and the Blackstone Group and an Emerging Markets portfolio manager at Credit Agricole Asset Management in Paris. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University. Natasha lives in London with her family.

Rupert Krefting, M&G Investments, Head of Corporate Finance & Stewardship

Rupert Krefting Joined M&G in March 2016 as Head of Corporate Finance and Stewardship, after 22 years working in investment banking. Most recently Rupert was at Numis, where he was a Director in its corporate broking and advisory business for 8 years. Prior to Numis, Rupert held senior roles at Investec and Panmure Gordon on the advisory side. Rupert graduated from Southampton University with an Honours Degree and qualified as a chartered accountant with Coopers & Lybrand. Rupert chairs M&G’s Responsible Investment Advisory Committee and represents M&G on the Investment Association Corporate Governance Committee, the Investor Forum and the All-Party Parliamentary Governance Group.