Chris K. Wilmot

Chairman Advisory Board

Chris is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Critical Minerals Refining. Chris is also the President and Chief Executive Officer of WCW International Company Limited.

He has over 40 years in the oil and gas industry and international business development.  He ventured with Fortune 500 companies in the United States and Global companies seeking to pursue strategic growth opportunities in Africa. Chris is also the Chairman of Glory Infrastructure Inc.

Prior to establishing Takoradi Refinery Company Limited, he was a career engineer, production supervisor and held senior executive level management positions at Atlantic Richfield (ARCO), a major oil and gas company, USA.

 He is currently involved as a strategic alliance partner with several major United States consulting, engineering, energy, management and security operations firms.

• Education:
  Bsc. EE, Tuskegee University, Alabama
• Memberships: IEEE, SPE, ASME

He honorably served and continues to serve on numerous commissions and boards notably:

• Delegate to the United States Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Trade and Investment Missions to Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia and Senegal.
• Chairman, City of Houston’s Mayor’s International Affairs Development Council – Africa (2002 – 2003)
• Member of the Board of Directors for the Greater Houston Partnership (2000 – 2013)
• Chairman of the Board Greater Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau (2004 – 2005)
• International Treasurer, Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International (2005 – 2006)
• Chairman of the Greater Houston Partnership World Bank Task Force (2010 – 2011).
• Congressional Briefing Moderator: “The Impact of the United States Energy Policy on Trade with the Gulf of Guinea.”
• President and Chief Executive Officer, WCW International, Inc
  (1991 – 2014)
• Chairman of Aviance Ghana Limited (2011 – 2014).
• Chairman of the Greater Houston Partnership World Trade Board
  (2012 – 2013).
• Congressional Briefing Moderator: “The Impact of the United States Energy Policy on Trade with the Gulf of Guinea.”
• Commissioner, City of Houston Clean City Commission
  (from 1990 – present)
• Board Member – Mickey Leyland Kibbutzim Foundation
  (from 1995 – present)

His current engagements include:

• Chairman & Chief Executive of Glory Infrastructure
  Company Limited
• Executive Chairman, Fortune Sustainable Energy & Engineering Company Limited
• Director of McDermott Fortune Company Limited
• Executive Director of AL Bashair Investment Company LLC
• Chris Wilmot, has unrivalled local knowledge and uniquely positioned through extensive business networks across Africa and the United States, providing access to exceptional investment opportunities
• Under the Chairmanship of Chris Wilmot, Takoradi Refinery Company Limited (TRCL) is uniquely placed to ride on the wave of the economic growth in Africa over the next two decades
• Possesses an experienced management team with complimentary skills and proven capability in investing in Africa, employing sound corporate governance
• Has proven track record in execution capability, value creation, and ability to generate superior returns by assembling key strategic partners
• Married with four children

Chip Bayless

Vice Chairman Advisory Board

Chip Bayless, the Strategic Planning executive at Critical Minerals Refining (USA), is a seasoned professional with extensive mining experience in diverse locations from Congo (DRC) to Mexico. He has provided operational planning and oversight for multi-billion-dollar projects in the private sector, demonstrating his strategic acumen and leadership.

Is an accomplished business professional with over 25 years of experience in senior management positions, focusing on strategy, policy, and program development. He has a proven track record in delivering results in high-pressure environments through creative problem-solving, operational excellence, and effective team building.

Chip Bayless, co-founder of one of the world’s largest high-grade Critical minerals mines, is the strategic planning executive of Critical Minerals Refining (USA). Chip has extensive mining experience in diverse locations, from Congo (DRC) to Mexico. Mr. Bayless has provided operational planning and oversight for multi-billion-dollar projects in the private sector.

Is an accomplished business professional with over 25 years of experience in senior management positions, focusing on strategy, policy, and program development. He has a proven track record in delivering results in high-pressure environments through creative problem-solving, operational excellence, and effective team building. He’s the co-founder of a high-grade critical minerals mine, which is worth over $70 billion.

Chip Bayless’s influence extends beyond the mining industry. He has served as a senior advisor to several African leaders and US officials, including General James L. Jones, the Former National Security Advisor to the President of the United States.

Griver Chola Sikasote

Member Advisory Board

Griver Chola Sikasote is a professional Electrical Engineer who worked for ZESCO Limited, the biggest electricity utility company in Zambia and a parastatal for more than twenty (20) years. He rose to the position of Senior Director, Distribution and Customer Service. During his early professional career with ZESCO Limited, he also worked with the Central Electricity Generating and Eastern Electricity Boards in the United Kingdom (UK) before both electricity utilities were privatized by the UK Government. After retirement from ZESCO Limited, he served as a Member of Parliament; Chairman of Parliamentary Select Committee on Energy, Tourism, and Environment; Chairman of Parliamentary Select Committee to Ratify the Director of Prosecution and High Court For Zambia Judges; Senior Member of Opposition and Ruling Political Parties for almost Fifteen (15) years; and Special Envoy to Zambia’s Third President the late Levy Patrick Mwanawasa to UK and USA; including serving as Chairman of Board of Directors of Workers’ Compensation Fund Control Board a Zambian parastal responsible for managing funds for occupational hazards related to employees in Zambia. Apart from his long, rich experience in politics in Zambia and Southern African Regional countries, he has also work experience with the private sector in Zambia spanning eighteen (18) years and has business interests in agriculture and mining sectors and real estate development.

Education:
Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) Degree, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.

Albert Halwampa

Member Advisory Board

Mr. Albert Halwampa is the Director General for the Zambia Development Agency and a Chevening Scholar with vast experience in International Trade and Investment.

He has led teams in promotion and facilitation, investment, and trade in regional and international markets. He has participated in Bilateral and Multilateral Trade Negotiations that include SADC, COMESA, COMESA-SADC-EAC TFTA, AGOA, EU, African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Middle East and Chinese Market, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mr. Halwampa has worked over the years to develop export strategies for both the public and private sectors.

Mr. Halwampa has been instrumental in spearheading Bilateral Investment and Trade Forums between Zambia and the European Union, the United States of America, China, the World Bank, The United Kingdom, African Union, Afreximbank, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Nordic countries where a number of deals and transactions have been structured.

He sits on the Board of the Zambia Export Development Fund, the Investment Committee of the ZCCM–IH Board, and the Market Transactions Committee of the Securities and Exchange Commission Board. He has been instrumental in organizing conferences for Afreximbank, International Trade Centre, World Bank, and Intra African Trade Fair under the African Union. Mr. Halwampa has been appointed Ambassador of the Intra African Trade Fair for three years in a row.

Mr. Halwampa holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics from the University of Zambia and a Master of Laws in (LLM) International Commercial and Business Law from Bangor University, United Kingdom.

Name of Company / Organization: Zambia Development Agency

Job Title: Director General

The Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry (MCTI), established under the ZDA Act No. 17 of 2022.

The Agency draws its mandate from the Investment, Trade, and Business Development (ITBD) Act No. 18 of 2022 to foster economic growth and development by promoting trade, business development, and investment in the Republic through an efficient, effective, and coordinated private sector-led economic development strategy.

Company / Organization Website Address: www.zda.org.zm

Nachilala Nkombo

Member Advisory Board

Nachilala Nkombo emerges as a distinguished figure in sustainability and innovation. She boasts an impressive track record of over two decades dedicated to spearheading conservation and sustainable development endeavors across diverse African markets. Her expansive expertise encompasses many critical areas, including environmental sustainability, sustainable agriculture, public health, energy initiatives, and the promotion of girls’ education.

With a keen focus on driving positive change and fostering sustainable practices, Nkombo has held influential positions that have left a lasting impact on policy development, financing mobilization, and environmental stewardship in Africa. Notably, her role as the Country Director for the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) in Zambia has allowed her to champion crucial conservation efforts and advocate for sustainable practices to protect the region’s natural ecosystems.

Additionally, as the Board Chairperson of Mulonga Water and Sanitation Company, Nachilala Nkombo has played a pivotal role in addressing water and sanitation challenges, ensuring access to clean water, and promoting sanitation practices that enhance public health and well-being. Her strategic leadership and collaborative approach have led to the implementation of innovative solutions that drive positive social and environmental impact in the communities served by the company.

Through her multifaceted engagements and impactful leadership, Nachilala Nkombo continues to be a driving force for sustainability and innovation in Africa. She has set a precedent for responsible stewardship of natural resources, community empowerment, and advancing sustainable development goals across the continent.