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SARMIN TEAM

Meet the team who makes it all happen

We see big potential in every moment, and care deeply about what we do every day. Our focused development approach applies very best expertise all over the world, and at every level of operation. Our leadership team reflects a group of diverse individuals with breadth and depth of experience across the company.

Stephane A.Rigny

Stéphane A. Rigny has over 20 years of experience in originating, structuring, funding and developing industrial and natural resource projects in Africa. Mr.Rigny holds an MBA in Finance from HEC Montréal. He co-founded SARMIN Holdings Inc.("SHI") in 2014 and is currently the CEO of SHI. SHI is a private equity investment company focusing on the acquisition, structuring, financing and development of high value-added resources, infrastructure and energy projects in Africa. In his capacity as CEO of SHI, Stéphane acquired a participation in Spanish based AEE Power Corporation SL. through SHI’s subsidiary SARMIN Power Inc. SARMIN Mining Inc. ("SMI") of which Stéphane is Executive Chairman acquired a Potash exploration mining license in the Republic of Congo and a world class Bauxite Exploration license in Guinea. Prior to founding SHI, from 2005 to 2010 Stéphane founded Surstream Petroleum LTD., an E&P Oil Company which he successfully sold in 2010. From 2004 through to 2011, he was senior VP and later of President of MagIndustries Corp, a Toronto listed Mining and Natural Resources company. In 2011, Stéphane lead MagIndustries Corp. through a friendly take-over by a private Shanghai based group. Prior to this he was VP of Francophone Africa in the Project Finance division of Rand Merchant Bank ("RMB"), a leading South African Investment Bank. 

Mina Parvizi Milani

Mina Parvizi Milani is the Executive Vice President of Information Technology and Cybersecurity at Sarmin Holdings inc. Mina provides leadership for the continued development of an innovative, robust, and secure information technology environment throughout the entire Sarmin Group of companies. Mina's primary responsibilities encompass a wide variety of strategic technologies development and implementation including resource allocation, Information technology protocol and governance and policies in a cross-cultural environment. 


Prior to co-founding Sarmin, Mina spent 10 years in information technology education and high level positions. She holds an MSc. in Advanced Computer Science and Information Technology Management from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom and Cybersecurity Management from University of Toronto, Canada. Mina has held several professional management positions before Sarmin as an executive in international companies with diverse activities in Iran, Turkey, England and Canada.


Achim Strauss

Achim Strauss has 25 years of experience in developing and managing industrial and natural resource projects. Mr. Strauss is CEO of SARMIN Minerals Exploration (”SME”), a subsidiary of SARMIN Mining Inc. (“SMI”); SME is the majority shareholder of NewCo Mining SA and Origins Exploration Congo SA, who holds the Kanga, respectively the Loango potash exploration licenses in the Republic of Congo. Mr. Strauss was responsible to implement SME’s PFS work programme including the drilling of various exploration wells. He currently manages SME’s Definitive Feasibility Study phase which commenced in October 2019. Prior to joining SARMIN (1998 to 2009 and 2011 to 2015) Mr. Strauss managed other major potash assets from early inception to project finance. From 2009-2011 Mr. Strauss successfully undertook business development work to obtain generating licenses of up 340MW for wind and solar farms in the renewable energy sector in South Africa. He has also served in many other sectors and industries such as materials handling, magnesium metal, secondary light metals as well as expansion, revamp and modernization projects based on structured commodity finance. Mr. Strauss holds a master’s degree in mechanical/aeronautical engineering from the TH Darmstadt (Germany).

Dr. Eng. Amir Mirchi

Dr. Mirchi has spent most of his professional career in the global businesses with extensive mining & metals industry experiences around major M&A transaction, management, governance, major project development, commercial and technology. 

Dr. Mirchi is currently the CEO of Sarmin Metals Ltd., the mining division of Sarmin Group Inc. Prior to his current position, Amir was leading an international senior advisory firm working with major international developers and investors. Amir has had a long professional career with Rio Tinto and Alcan. He held various leading roles including as the Regional Vice President at Rio Tinto. His past and current roles include also serving on the board of directors, steering committee for major investment development.

Amir holds a Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees from Belgium and he is member of Quebec Engineer Association (Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec).


SARMIN HOLDING INC.

SARMIN Holdings Inc. ("SHI") was established as a Private Investment Company, focused primarily on developing projects in Africa in natural resources extraction and beneficiation as well as in energy production, transmission and distribution. Founded by Mina and Stéphane A. Rigny, the company was inspired by a passion for the continent, its people and their rich and diverse cultures.


The decision to found SARMIN came from a desire to have a personal, positive impact on the continent by becoming a catalyst for development. SARMIN believes that the best way to promote development is of course to add value and create jobs but, more importantly, it is to ensure that projects become permanent realities. 
 

The best way to achieve this is to work in partnerships with tier one experts and to transfer skills and knowhow to local partners. This is a win-win formula and generates optimal, sustainable investor returns in harmony with the local business and physical environments yielding a high impact positive socio-economic blended value proposal.
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