Many Peaks Minerals Names Jamie Byrde CFO Ahead of Ferké Milestones

Many Peaks Minerals Appoints Jamie Byrde as Chief Financial Officer

Many Peaks Minerals (ASX: MPK) has confirmed that Many Peaks Minerals appoints Jamie Byrde as CFO, effective 26 October 2026. The appointment brings more than 20 years of finance and governance experience across ASX-listed and private resource companies to the West African gold explorer as it prepares to deliver a scoping study and increase drilling activity at its Ferké Gold Project in Côte d'Ivoire.

According to the announcement, Byrde is a Chartered Accountant with a track record spanning capital raisings, mergers and acquisitions, due diligence, and multi-jurisdiction statutory reporting. Furthermore, his experience covers the full project lifecycle, from early-stage exploration through to production.

A Hire Timed to a Pivotal Phase of Growth

Many Peaks is moving through a stage where the demands on financial infrastructure, stakeholder reporting, and capital management are increasing. The company has flagged a scoping study and accelerated drilling at Ferké as near-term priorities, and the CFO appointment has been positioned as a direct response to that operational build-out.

Byrde will work on a 0.8 full-time equivalent (FTE) basis, an arrangement commonly used by companies balancing senior executive capability with cost discipline during the exploration-to-development transition. His equity incentive structure, detailed further below, ties a portion of his remuneration to specific project milestones rather than tenure alone.

Managing Director Travis Schwertfeger commented on the rationale behind the appointment:

"Jamie's appointment comes at an important time for Many Peaks as we move toward delivery of our scoping study and ramp up drilling at Ferké. His extensive experience leading finance and governance functions across ASX-listed resources companies, including capital raisings and multi-jurisdiction reporting, will be invaluable as we build the financial foundations to support our growth in Côte d'Ivoire."

Byrde's Background Across ASX-Listed Resource Companies

Byrde's career has involved multiple international jurisdictions and covers the governance, reporting, and operational challenges typical of resource companies moving from exploration to development. Key career highlights disclosed in the announcement include:

• Executive Director, CFO and Company Secretary at Critica Limited (formerly Venture Minerals): Delivered the feasibility study for the Riley Iron Ore Project in Tasmania, including financial modelling, tender management, and offtake and supply chain agreements, before leading the project through to first shipment.
• CFO and Company Secretary at Blackstone Minerals Limited (over eight years): Led capital raisings totalling approximately $100 million and executed cross-border acquisitions of the Ban Phuc Nickel Mine in Vietnam and the BC Cobalt Project in Canada, establishing finance systems and operational processes across both jurisdictions.
• CFO and Company Secretary at Alicanto Minerals Limited: Managed legal advisors, joint ventures, and earn-in agreements across South America and Sweden.
• Company Secretary of Killi Resources and Non-Executive Director of Codrus Minerals, where he managed the company's initial public offering (IPO) and prospectus process.

Byrde holds a Graduate Diploma in Corporate Governance and Applied Risk Management from the Governance Institute of Australia, a Graduate Diploma of Chartered Accounting from Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, and a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Finance) from the University of Technology.

Employment Terms at a Glance

How the Equity Incentive Package Is Structured

The equity component of Byrde's remuneration has been structured around specific, material outcomes for the Ferké Gold Project rather than time served in the role. This is a detail worth examining, as it indicates how the board is approaching value creation milestones.

Options: 500,000 Total, Exercisable at $1.00

• 50% vest on the date of grant
• The remaining 50% vest 18 months after the grant date, subject to Byrde remaining continuously employed by the company

Performance Rights: 500,000 Total, Split Into Two Tranches

• Tranche 1 — 250,000 performance rights: Vest upon completion and market announcement of a feasibility study for the Ferké Gold Project, or such other material company project as determined by the board, satisfying parameters approved by the board.
• Tranche 2 — 250,000 performance rights: Vest upon financial close occurring under binding finance facility documentation, together with completion of an accompanying equity raising where aggregate net proceeds, after financing costs, are sufficient to fund the estimated pre-production development capital expenditure for the Ferké Gold Project as reported in the definitive feasibility study, excluding contingency and working capital, such that construction can commence.

In effect, Tranche 2 only delivers value once Many Peaks has secured full funding and reached a position to begin construction. That structure consequently links Byrde's upside to what would likely be regarded as a material re-rating point in the company's development timeline.

Why the CFO Role Matters for an Early-Stage Explorer

For investors less familiar with the resource sector, the significance of a CFO appointment at this stage of a company's development is worth understanding. Exploration-stage companies are pre-revenue and rely on capital markets for funding.

A CFO's ability to manage investor relations, execute capital raisings, maintain statutory reporting, and build credible financial models has a direct bearing on a company's capacity to attract and retain institutional and retail investors.

Where a project sits in a frontier jurisdiction, as is the case with Côte d'Ivoire in West Africa, the operational complexity increases. Multi-currency reporting, international audit coordination, local regulatory compliance, and cross-border corporate structuring all become material considerations. Byrde has worked through comparable challenges at Blackstone Minerals across Vietnam and Canada, and at Alicanto Minerals across South America and Sweden.

Key Terms Explained

• Feasibility study: A detailed technical and financial analysis assessing whether a mining project is economically viable. Completion of a feasibility study is typically regarded as a significant de-risking milestone that can attract institutional interest and support project financing discussions.
• Financial close: The point at which binding loan agreements are signed and funding becomes available for drawdown, marking the point at which project construction can begin.
• FTE (full-time equivalent): A standardised measure of employment hours. A 0.8 FTE engagement means Byrde works 80% of standard full-time hours, an arrangement often used for senior executives at companies managing costs during the exploration-to-development transition.

What Comes Next for Many Peaks?

The CFO appointment forms part of a broader operational build-out as Many Peaks advances the Ferké Gold Project. Based on the Managing Director's commentary, near-term focus areas include:

1. Scoping study delivery — flagged as a near-term milestone
2. Drilling ramp-up at Ferké — increased activity intended to continue building out the resource base
3. Financial infrastructure development — establishing the systems, reporting frameworks, and governance processes required to support operations in West Africa

The performance rights structure sets out a milestone roadmap: feasibility study completion, followed by financial close and an equity raising sufficient to fund pre-production capital expenditure. These represent two points that the market is likely to monitor closely as the project advances.

What Investors Should Track From Here

Many Peaks Minerals is working through the process of building the team and systems required to advance the Ferké Gold Project. The appointment of Byrde, with a track record that includes involvement in approximately $100 million of capital raisings, cross-border acquisitions, and delivery of a project from feasibility through to first shipment, adds relevant capability to the company's finance function.

For investors following the company's progress, several factors are worth monitoring:

• Leadership depth: The appointment adds a credentialed CFO with a career history directly relevant to the tasks ahead of Many Peaks
• Milestone-linked equity structure: Performance rights tied to feasibility study completion and financial close set out a defined roadmap of what the board considers success
• Côte d'Ivoire exposure: West Africa remains an active gold exploration region, and the Ferké Gold Project positions Many Peaks within that broader landscape
• Execution focus: Management commentary points to scoping study delivery and drilling ramp-up as near-term, measurable catalysts

In summary, the decision by Many Peaks Minerals to appoint Jamie Byrde as CFO reflects the company's intent to build financial credibility ahead of critical project milestones. His experience spanning approximately $100 million in capital raisings, cross-border mergers and acquisitions, and full project lifecycle delivery aligns closely with the challenges Many Peaks faces as it advances toward a scoping study and increased drilling at Ferké. The milestone-linked equity structure, furthermore, sets out a transparent framework for the value creation points that investors are likely to watch as Many Peaks works toward a potential path to production.

Want to Learn More About Many Peaks Minerals and the Ferké Gold Project?

With a credentialed CFO now in place and key milestones including a scoping study and drilling ramp-up firmly in sight, Many Peaks Minerals (ASX: MPK) is building the foundations for a significant phase of development at its Ferké Gold Project in Côte d'Ivoire. Investors looking to follow the company's progress and understand the full scope of the opportunity can find further details by visiting the Many Peaks Minerals website.