Alexander Burns, MBA – Managing Director

Mr. Burns has over 20 years experience in the management and operations of businesses in Australia and overseas in the manufacturing and resources sectors. After being appointed as Managing Director of Sphere in 1998, Mr Burns refocused the company on the resources sector and secured a joint venture agreement with Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière (SNIM) in 2001 for the development of the Guelb el Aouj iron ore pellet project in Mauritania, West Africa.

Mr. Burns has also actively expanded the company's portfolio of iron ore projects and acquired gold and base metal projects in Mauritania (subsequently spun-off as ASX listed Shield Mining Ltd) (Code: SHX).

Mr Burns was also instrumental in Sphere's West African oil and gas stategy, resulting in the award of two onshore licences in Mali in July 2005, and the establishment of Sphere Petroleum in Qatar in January 2007.

John Bylsma, B. Bus – Executive Director

Mr. Bylsma has had 23 years experience in the iron ore industry. Prior to joining Sphere in 2000, he had 18 years of commercial experience with Rio Tinto’s iron ore division, Hamersley Iron Pty Limited, including frontline marketing experience in the European and Japanese iron ore markets. From 1998 to 2000, Mr Bylsma conducted a strategic review of the emerging Chinese iron ore market. Since joining Sphere, Mr Bylsma has played a key role in securing and developing the Guelb el Aouj Project.

Marcello Cardaci, B. Juris, LLB, B.Com – Non-Executive Director

Mr. Cardaci is a partner in the legal practice of Blakiston & Crabb. Mr Cardaci holds degrees in law and commerce and is experienced in a wide range of corporate and commercial matters with a particular emphasis on public and private equity raisings and mergers and acquisitions.

Robert (Bob) Cornelius, B. Met E, M Eng Sc, F AusIMM – Non-Executive Director

Mr. Cornelius joined the Sphere Board as a non-executive director in July 2005. He spent 35 years with the CRA Group (now Rio Tinto) prior to his retirement in 1994. During his time with CRA, Mr Cornelius spent 16 years with CRA’s iron ore division in various operating roles at the Hamersley Iron operations in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. In 1982, he moved to Bougainville Copper Limited as executive manager of the concentrator, before becoming managing director of Bougainville Copper from 1987 to 1990. Following the closure of the Bougainville operations, he became president of CRA Japan and was based in Tokyo from 1991 to 1993, before returning to CRA’s head office in Melbourne in 1994.