Impact minerals appoints experienced chair to lead company into production phase

Stock image for referential pStock image for referential purposes onlyurposes only

Impact Minerals Limited (ASX: IPT) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Jim McKerlie as Independent Non-Executive Chair, effective 8 June 2026. The appointment comes as the Company advances its Lake Hope High Purity Alumina (HPA) Project from pre-feasibility to a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS), a pivotal transition from explorer to producer in a critical minerals segment experiencing strong demand growth driven by electric vehicle batteries, LED lighting, and advanced electronics.

Mr McKerlie succeeds Mr Paul Ingram, who has served as Interim Chair since August 2025, following the retirement of founding Chairman Mr Peter Unsworth. The Board thanks Mr Ingram for his leadership and steady stewardship of the Company during the transition period. Mr Ingram will continue to serve on the Board as a Non-Executive Director.

Strategic rationale for the appointment

Mckerlie brings deep experience in guiding ASX-listed companies through capital-intensive growth phases and directed significant transactions across oil and gas, iron ore, and lithium sectors. His appointment is designed to strengthen the Company's capacity to execute the DFS, access capital markets, and manage the governance demands of a company transitioning to production.

About Mr Jim McKerlie

Jim Mckerlie is an experienced board director, international executive, corporate adviser and strategy consultant. He brings to Impact Minerals a strong background in strategy development and execution, capital markets, M&A, board governance and stakeholder management.

Participate in our upcoming e-Magazine – “Mine to Market: ALuminium Producers & Manufacturers 2026”

As Chair of Magnetite Mines Ltd from 2022 to 2024, Jim led a full corporate and board renewal of the company, which holds a substantial magnetite iron ore deposit in South Australia. His broader resources career spans over a decade of ASX board leadership, including as Chair of Drillsearch Energy, where he grew a precedent company from an USD 8 million market cap to an ASX 200 company valued at USD 750 million, overseeing mergers, capital raisings, joint ventures, takeover actions and ultimately the merger with Beach Energy to create an ASX 100 company. He subsequently served as a director of Beach Energy during the USD 1.7 billion acquisition of the Lattice business from Origin Energy.

He holds a Bachelor of Economics and a Diploma in Financial Management, is a graduate of the International Executive Program at IMD (Switzerland) and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.

Mr McKerlie commented - "Impact Minerals is at a well-defined inflection point, and I joined because the fundamentals are compelling. The Lake Hope HPA Project has completed its Pre-Feasibility Study and is advancing to a Definitive Feasibility Study. The Alluminous pilot plant in Perth is producing HPA and has already shipped initial samples to US battery technology company Charge CCCV (C4V) for qualification testing, a material step toward commercial offtake.

My immediate priorities are to support management through the DFS process, strengthen the Company's capital markets relationships, and ensure the governance framework scales as we move from development into production. The Board has the deep technical expertise required. My job is to make sure we execute."

Dr Michael Jones, Managing Director, said, "We are very pleased to welcome Jim as Chair. His experience in capital markets, strategy execution, and ASX governance is precisely what Impact needs as we move from developer to producer. Jim's appointment continues the board renewal process initiated after Peter Unsworth's retirement and positions us well for the next phase of growth. On behalf of the Board and management, I also sincerely thank Paul Ingram for his commitment and sound leadership as Interim Chair."

Note: This article has been issued by impact minerals and has been published by AL Circle with its original information without any modifications or edits to the core subject/data.