London-listed Tirupati Graphite has announced a major board restructuring, appointing Christian St John-Dennis, Murat Dogan Erden, and Anthony James Nieuwenhuys as nonexecutive directors.
The move is aimed at enhancing corporate governance and reinforcing the company’s leadership team.
New Appointments
- Anthony James Nieuwenhuys: Brings extensive board-level and executive experience from various listed mining companies. He currently serves as the director and CEO of TSX-listed Zeb Nickel Corporation.
- Murat Dogan Erden: A seasoned CFO with expertise in governance, financial strategy, and capital markets. Erden previously served as a nonexecutive director of Tirupati from October 2023 to March 2024 and is currently a director at Arch Emerging Markets Partners.
- Christian St John-Dennis: A recognized corporate broker and CEO of Optiva Securities, London, as well as a director of Hoxton Spirits. He previously held a nonexecutive director role at Tirupati between April 2017 and July 2023.
Puruvi Poddar has stepped down as a director but will continue to serve as the chief of corporate and business development, focusing on advancing Tirupati’s strategic and commercial objectives.
Tirupati is actively pursuing candidates for CFO and independent nonexecutive director positions to complete its board restructuring.
Following the restructuring, Tirupati plans to raise funds to support the expansion of its graphite projects in Madagascar.
Earlier this year, Tirupati faced shareholder pressure for a board overhaul. Shareholders holding 5.8% of the company’s ordinary share capital requisitioned an extraordinary general meeting, resulting in the removal of Shishir Poddar as chairperson, along with Puruvi and Alastair Bath as directors.
In May, Tirupati acknowledged concerns over its board structure and committed to implementing urgent changes. The appointment of Michael Lynch-Bell as nonexecutive chairperson marked the beginning of this restructuring process.
The latest board appointments demonstrate Tirupati’s efforts to address past governance challenges while positioning the company for future growth.
