Last checked at 24 Feb 2012 15:49
24 February 2012
LonZim plc
("LonZim" or the "Company")
Result of AGM, board changes and Change of name
Following the passing of all resolutions at today's AGM, the board is pleased to announce the appointment of Ian Perkins as Non-Executive Chairman, Edzo Wisman as an executive director and Chief Executive Officer, and Itai Mazaiwana and Fred Jones as Non-Executive Directors with immediate effect.
The shareholders have today also approved the change of name to Cambria Africa plc. The Company's stock exchange symbol is to be changed to CMB and is expected to become effective on AIM on 28 February 2012.
Biographical and other details of the directors appointed are included in the further information section below.
Commenting, Ian Perkins, non-executive Chairman, said
"Cambria is going to have the best of both worlds - it has fresh beginnings, but is founded on the increasingly solid track records of its subsidiary companies. As such, working to grow the newly named Cambria, while continuously keeping in mind our underlying focus on increasing shareholder value, is an exciting prospect I am very much looking forward to. I am also excited by the opportunities offered by Zimbabwe, and how Cambria is positioned to benefit from these opportunities, as well as by the excellent management team led by Edzo Wisman."
Cambria's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Edzo Wisman added:
"The Company's new identity represents our belief that we are entering a new era for Cambria as well as for Zimbabwe. Key to our strategy is adding shareholder value by creating highly focused businesses; investing appropriately in these businesses, and turning them into value added industry leaders in Zimbabwe. Through our relationships in the world's financial centres we will look to invest in our core companies, harnessing the potential in each of them with a view to building them into Zimbabwe's premier businesses in their respective industries."
Following shareholder approval of the AGM resolutions, David Lenigas, Geoffrey White, David Armstrong and Jean Ellis, who were nominated by Lonrho Plc to establish and develop the Company, have stepped down from the Board to focus on Lonrho Plc's other more core activities. Furthermore, Emma Priestley, who was also nominated by Lonrho Plc and retired by rotation this year, did not seek re-appointment.
For further information please visit www.lonzim.co.uk or contact:
Cambria Africa plc
Ian Perkins +44 (0) 7831 674 585
Edzo Wisman +1(0) 41 635 8191
WH Ireland Ltd: Nomad and Broker
James Joyce / Nick Field +44 (0) 20 7220 1666
Pelham Bell Pottinger
Charles Goodwin +44 (0) 20 7861 3117
Charlie Harrison +44 (0) 20 7861 3125
Further Information
Ian Perkins
Ian has over 40 years' experience in the City. He was at James Capel & Co. from 1978 until 1991 (where he was a director and head of the fixed income division). From 1991 until 1996 Ian was director and later the chief executive officer of listed bank King & Shaxson Holdings plc. When Gerrard Group took King & Shaxson over in 1996, Ian became a director of Gerrard Group plc and chairman of the Gerrard & King bank. Following Gerrard Group's takeover by the Old Mutual Group in 2000, Ian became a director of Old Mutual Financial Services plc, and was the chief executive officer and later chairman of GNI Limited until 2003. From 2003 until 2010, Ian was chairman of fixed income and inter-dealer broking company King & Shaxson Limited.
Ian Richard Brice Perkins, aged 62, has held the following directorships or partnerships within the last five years.
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Current | Past |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Consilium Emerging Markets | Illex Asset Management (UK) LLP |
| Absolute Return Fund Ltd. | |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Consilium Corporate | King and Shaxson Ltd. |
| Recovery Fund Ltd. | |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Emerging Markets Absolute | King and Shaxson Asset Management |
| Return Fund Ltd. | Ltd. |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Southern Properties | King and Shaxson Capital Ltd. |
| V PLC | |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Swinley Forest Golf Club | Phillip Securities (UK) Nominees |
| | Ltd. |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Tandem Entertainment Ltd. | Southern Properties I PLC |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| | Southern Properties II PLC |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| | Southern Properties III PLC |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| | Southern Properties IV PLC |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| | Southern Properties VI PLC |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| | Southern Properties VII PLC |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
Ian has an interest in 200,000 ordinary shares in the Company through his pension scheme.
Edzo Wisman
Edzo joined the Company as general manager in 2010. Prior to that, in 2003 he founded and was managing director of Stuart Lammert & Co. ("SL&C"), a financial advisory firm based in Toronto and New York focused on corporate finance, restructurings and mergers and acquisitions. Prior to founding SL&C, Edzo was a vice president, investment banking, with CCFL Advisory Services, a Canadian based merchant bank. Previously he was with Wilshire Associates, first with the consultancy practice in Amsterdam servicing some of Europe's largest institutional investors, and then with the private markets group at its California headquarters seeking opportunities in leveraged buyout markets. Prior to this, he was with the investment department of the pension funds of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.
Edzo Lammert Wisman, aged 38, has held the following directorships or partnerships within the last five years.
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Current | Past |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Diospyros Investments | Canadian Netherlands Business and |
| | Professional Association |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| 1793161 Ontario Inc. | Stuart Lammert Corporation |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
Edzo is beneficially interested in aggregate, directly and indirectly, in options to acquire 1,000,000 ordinary shares in LonZim at a price of 30 pence per share, representing 1.7 per cent. of the Company's current issued share capital.
Itai Mazaiwana
Itai started his career in research and education at the Institute of Mining Research at the University of Zimbabwe as an analytical geochemist. During his subsequent career in the private sector, Itai held senior positions in the mining and chemicals industries at ZISCO STEEL, Anacal Laboratory, Ardington Exploration, and Polokwana Chemicals (South Africa). Itai is currently a director of Jeune Zimbabwe, Mining and Infrastructure Development Corporation (MIDCO) (a joint venture between Jeune and the Government of Zimbabwe dealing in power stations) and Pan-African Energy Resources (a consortium of European and Zimbabwean engineers and scientists developing a 2000MW power station). In recent years, Itai has acted as a technical adviser to, Orange Advisory Alliance (South Africa), Lineband/Scores Mining, and New Frontier Partners Zimbabwe. The latter organisation promotes local participation in Zimbabwe's mining and energy sectors.
Itai Calvin Mazaiwana, aged 51, has held the following directorships or partnerships within the last five years.
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Current | Past |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Kana Mines (Pvt) Ltd. | |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Wedza Mines (Pvt) Ltd. | |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Orange Advisory Services | |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Jeune Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd. | |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Mining and Infrastructure | |
| Development Corporation | |
| (Pvt) Ltd. | |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Pan-African Energy | |
| Energy Resources Group | |
| Ventures (Pvt) Ltd. | |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Lineband Mining (Pvt) Ltd. | |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Scores Mining (Pvt) Ltd. | |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
Itai has no beneficial interest direct or indirect, in the share capital of the Company.
Fred Jones
Fred is the chairman of Jutland Group, a private Hong Kong based investment management and commodity firm which he founded in 2006 to manage portfolios of foreign exchange, precious metals and international debt. Fred founded Jutland Metals Limited to manage and control the logistics of physical precious metals management for corporate and high net worth individual clients. Fred also founded Jaramcor International, a commodity supply-chain manager and supplier of pulp/paper, chemicals and agricultural products. He was previously vice president, private client services, at Bear Stearns Global Wealth Management, where he specialised in the management of international bond and foreign exchange portfolios for high net worth clients and also advised European corporate clients on multi-currency financings and bond buybacks. Prior to working with Bear Stearns, Fred worked with the international private client group of Merrill Lynch, managing international bond and currency portfolios for high net worth clients. He holds a BSc in Accountancy and an MBA in Finance from Florida A&M University.
Fred Yvonzio Jones, aged 42, has held the following directorships or partnerships within the last five years.
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Current | Past |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Jutland Group | |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Jutland Capital Management | |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Jutland Metals | |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Jaramcor Internationl | |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Jutland Investments | |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------+
Fred has no beneficial interest direct or indirect, in the share capital of the Company.
There is no other further information that is required to be disclosed with regards to the above mentioned appointment pursuant to Schedule 2 paragraph (g) of the AIM Rules.