Yava Silica LLC Board of Directors
Bob Pepper, President and CEO:
Bob Pepper has over 25 years of experience in business and finance. His areas of experience include technology development, mining, manufacturing, project management and financing for major real estate and technology projects. He was the original investor and co-founder of Yava Technologies Inc. (“YTI”). After assuming the position of President & CEO of YTI, Mr. Pepper raised new investment funds and changed the direction of the company to create the opportunities it has developed to date. He has long standing relationships with several agencies of the federal government of Canada that have assisted YTI’s research efforts. He also worked with the federal government and Cape Breton University (CBU) to organize a state-of-the-art research facility at CBU. Mr. Pepper led the work to establish relationships with financial entities in Canada and various industrial corporations interested in YTI’s technologies.
Madhav Dahal Ph.D., Senior VP Technical:
Dr. Dahal holds the senior technical position with Yava Silica and its parent, YTI and is responsible for directing the development of their technical programs. Dr. Dahal received his PhD in chemistry from the University of Newcastle, Australia, specializing in manganese dioxide and also served as a research chemist. He was invited to do his post- doctoral research with Professor Brian Conway of the University of Ottawa, who at the time was widely considered to be one of the world’s leading electrochemists. Dr. Dahal worked closely with Mr. Pepper to establish YTI’s state of the art research laboratory and pilot facility at CBU. He personally developed YTI’s patented and patent pending processes in the areas of eco-friendly, high purity mineral recovery, industrial waste treatment and lithium ion battery materials. His work with YTI has demonstrated his ability to conceive a solution to an industrial problem and take that concept through bench scale, pilot plant testing through to commercial plant design. His work has created international interest in YTI’s technologies and he will be intimately involved in all pilot operations and the construction of the commercial plants. Dr. Dahal joined Yava in 2004 and its board of directors in December 2013.
Donald A. Jackson, LL.B., Secretary, Treasurer:
Mr. Jackson is a member of the Ontario legal bar and has practiced law in Ontario and elsewhere for the past 25 years. He served as Treasurer and in- house legal counsel to the YTI from 2001 until August 2014 and has been on its board of directors since 2001. Mr. Jackson has extensive experience drafting and organizing the documentation and detailed financial analysis required for financing early stage companies.
Gordon Baker, Q.C.:
Mr. Baker has extensive experience in the area of business law, with emphasis on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, financing and structuring. He has acted for a number of public and private Canadian and multi-national clients, as general counsel or special counsel for specific projects and has led teams of lawyers with a wide range of experience and multi-disciplines to address complex and integrated projects and problems. He joined the YTI board of directors in July 2014 and acts as its Canadian legal counsel.
David Yarborough:
Mr. Yarborough has 25+ years of high-level corporate experience in assessing and bringing new mineral processing technologies to market, cross border licensing, and developing mineral processing plants costing more than USD $300 million. His last corporate role was head of mining products group GS Industries with 3,000 employees and gross revenues of over US$750 million. Mr. Yarborough is assisting YTI with its commercial negotiations and IP protection, as well as its licensing and business strategies.