Management Team
Mr Benjamin Stoikovich
Chief Executive Officer
Mr Stoikovich is a mining engineer and professional corporate finance executive. He has extensive experience in the resources sector gained from a unique career firstly as an underground Longwall Coal Mining Engineer with BHP Billiton where he was responsible for underground longwall mine operations and permitting, and more recently as a senior executive within the investment banking sector in London where he gained experience in mergers and acquisitions, debt and off take financing.
He has Bachelor of Mining Engineering from the University of NSW; a Master of Environmental Engineering from the University of Wollongong; and a MSc in Mineral Economics from Curtin University. Mr Stoikovich also holds a 1st Class Coal Mine Managers Ticket from the Coal Mine Qualifications Board (NSW, Australia) and is a registered Chartered Engineer (CEng) and Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) in the United Kingdom.
Mr Simon Kersey
Chief Financial Officer
Mr Kersey is a chartered accountant with over 15 years’ experience providing financial and advisory services to the mining industry covering debt, equity and offtake financings for mine developments as well as a variety of other corporate transactions. Before joining Prairie Mr Kersey was a Managing Director within the investment banking sector in London and has held roles at a number of investment banks and advisory firms including BMO Capital Markets, Deutsche Bank and PwC.
Mr Kersey is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW)
Chief Financial Officer
Mr Kersey is a chartered accountant with over 15 years’ experience providing financial and advisory services to the mining industry covering debt, equity and offtake financings for mine developments as well as a variety of other corporate transactions. Before joining Prairie Mr Kersey was a Managing Director within the investment banking sector in London and has held roles at a number of investment banks and advisory firms including BMO Capital Markets, Deutsche Bank and PwC.
Mr Kersey is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW)
Mr Sapan Ghai
Head of Corporate Development
Mr. Ghai commenced his career as a Chartered Accountant (ICAS) having qualified with PwC in London before becoming an investment banker to the mining sector at leading institutions. He has extensive experience in the financing of mining companies and has raised over US$1Bn of both equity and debt funding for the development of numerous mining projects globally and across a range of commodities.
Mr. Ghai has a MSc. majoring in Finance and a BSc. majoring in Mathematics from the University of Warwick.
Head of Corporate Development
Mr. Ghai commenced his career as a Chartered Accountant (ICAS) having qualified with PwC in London before becoming an investment banker to the mining sector at leading institutions. He has extensive experience in the financing of mining companies and has raised over US$1Bn of both equity and debt funding for the development of numerous mining projects globally and across a range of commodities.
Mr. Ghai has a MSc. majoring in Finance and a BSc. majoring in Mathematics from the University of Warwick.
Mr Miroslaw Taras
Group Executive- Poland
Mr Taras has worked in the Lublin coal basin for more than 30 years, commencing as an underground coal mine operator and rising to the rank of Chairman of the Management Board of Bogdanka where he successfully oversaw the privatisation of the company by way of an Initial Public Offering on the WSE, including a US$160m fundraise to develop two new shafts.
Mr Taras graduated in 1980 from the Academy of Mining and Metallurgy in Krakow, specialising in the design and construction of mines.
Group Executive- Poland
Mr Taras has worked in the Lublin coal basin for more than 30 years, commencing as an underground coal mine operator and rising to the rank of Chairman of the Management Board of Bogdanka where he successfully oversaw the privatisation of the company by way of an Initial Public Offering on the WSE, including a US$160m fundraise to develop two new shafts.
Mr Taras graduated in 1980 from the Academy of Mining and Metallurgy in Krakow, specialising in the design and construction of mines.