Board of Directors

Ajay Mishra has over 20 years of experience in the coke and coal industry.

Prior to taking his new role as a board director and Managing Director and Global Co-Head of Trading, Ajay was Executive Director & Global Head of Metallurgical Coal & Coke for Noble Holdings.

He joined the Group 10 years ago and under his guidance the Group has achieved a leadership position in the World coke trading market and a strong, strategic and sustainable sourcing pipeline from nine different countries. The Group currently executes the World’s largest global seaborne trade volume in metallurgical coke.

He has recently been focused on leading the Group’s efforts in the areas of green coke and steel.

Prior to joining the Group, Ajay worked with Tata Group for 12 years leading their Coke and Coal business.

Ajay holds degree in Business Management and Executive Management from IIM Kolkata, India.

Paul Copley has over 25 years’ experience working with companies across different industries and geographies, the majority of which were with PwC UK’s restructuring practice, including 7 years as a partner.

He left PwC in 2016 to pursue a career as an independent senior executive and non-executive director in post-restructuring and turnaround situations.

Most recently, he has served as a non-executive director of The Co-operative Bank plc, a Supervisory Board director of Steinhoff International Holdings NV, and CEO and director of Kaupthing ehf.

Paul is a chartered accountant and holds a BA (Hons) degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Liverpool.

Peter Coleman joined Taconic in April 2018 where he is a Director focusing on European credit based in their London office.

Prior to joining Taconic, Peter was a Managing Director of the European distressed debt team at SVP Global.

Previously he was an Investment Director in distressed debt at Sisu Capital and prior to this, he was a Director in the corporate finance group and tax group at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Peter earned a dual LL.B and B.Com. from Victoria University in New Zealand in 1996.

George Nette has 35 years of commodity trading experience in soft commodities and oil products.

He served for 20 years as Chief Financial Officer of Marquard & Bahls until retiring in May 2018. Marquard & Bahls is one of the world’s leading independent companies in the supply, trading and logistics of energy and chemicals.

George also serves as Non-Executive Chairman of two family-owned, internationally active trading and manufacturing groups.

George worked as a lawyer in Hamburg and New York before commencing his career in commodities with Alfred C Toepfer International (today Archer Daniel Midlands) and Bernhard Rothfos.

He is a qualified lawyer with a degree from Hamburg University and holds a Master of Comparative Jurisprudence from New York University School of Law.

Jeremy East has over 30 years of commodity experience and is currently chief executive officer of East Wind Capital, a commodity consultancy based in Hong Kong.

He is also Senior Adviser representing the London Bullion Market Association in Asia, former International Adviser to the Shanghai Gold Exchange, and adviser to Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing.

Jeremy is, also, non-executive board member of Cygnus homes, an eco-friendly, smart home company based in Cambridgeshire.

Prior to his role at East Wind Capital, Jeremy spent 11 years with Standard Chartered Bank, as Managing Director: Global Head of Metals Trading, and Head of Commodities for Greater China and North Asia. In addition to this role, he was also a board member and Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Securities.

Before joining Standard Chartered, Jeremy was Global Head of Precious Metals at Commerzbank and also a board member of Argor Heraeus, the major Swiss gold refinery. He has also held roles at Salomon Brothers running the precious metals business in London and later Phibro Energy, part of Citigroup.

Jeremy started his career with Philipp Brothers, then the largest commodity trading company in the world, trading precious and base metals.

He has certification from Insead’s Impact Through Leadership programme and Oxford Business School’s Leadership Across Boundaries programme, and graduated with an honours degree in economics and economic and social history from the University of Hull.

Nils E. Larsen has served as a director of the Company since March 24, 2022.

Nils is the Founder and President of SZR Consulting, LLC. SZR Consulting, LLC provides financial and operational advisory and consulting services to companies and investors in a variety of industries including oil and gas, media and sports and industrial services.

In addition, Nils has been working with The Carlyle Group since 2013 and is currently a consultant to the firm.

Prior to forming SZR Consulting, LLC and the work with The Carlyle Group, Nils served in a variety of senior executive positions with Tribune Company from 2008 to 2013, including as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Tribune Broadcasting and as the Co-President of Tribune Company.

Before joining Tribune Company, Nils was employed by Equity Group Investments, LLC from 1995 to 2008 (serving as a Managing Director from 2001 to 2008), focusing on investments in the media, transportation, energy, industrial manufacturing, retail grocery and member loyalty and rewards sectors.

Nils resumed a limited role with Equity Group Investments, LLC in 2013 although that relationship is currently no longer substantive.

Nils started his career at CS First Boston where he focused on the capital requirements and derivative products needs of U.S. financial institutions and non-U.S. based entities.

Nils has significant governance experience in entities across their lifecycles providing this essential insight to the Company.

Nils received his A.B. summa cum laude from Bowdoin College.