St George Mining (ASX: SGQ) has appointed Kecheng Cai as a non-executive director, with effect from 1 January 2024.
Mr Cai is a senior executive of Shanghai Jayson New Energy Co., Ltd, the largest shareholder in St George with a current shareholding of 11.73%.
Jayson is the world’s leading producer of cathode precursor materials for lithium-ion batteries and has established a diversified vertical supply chain for clean energy materials that extends from upstream mining to downstream precursor manufacturing.
As the Head of Investment & Strategy for Jayson, Mr Cai has deep knowledge of the global lithium-ion battery sector and been involved in numerous cross-border M&A transactions entailing both upstream and downstream battery assets. Mr Cai has more than 18 years’ experience in financial investment and corporate strategy, including roles in private equity and funds management.
“We are delighted to welcome a senior industry executive of the calibre of Kecheng Cai to the board of St George,” St George executive chairman John Prineas said.
“His appointment, and the continued support of Jayson, is an endorsement of our growth strategy and the outstanding opportunities ahead as we advance our portfolio of high-quality battery metals projects in the Tier 1 mining jurisdiction of Western Australia.
“Mr Cai’s extensive global experience in the lithium-ion battery industry will provide great value to the board of St George and our company.
“It is an exciting time for St George as we prepare to launch our 2024 exploration programs with high-impact lithium and rare earths drill campaigns scheduled to start shortly.”
The appointment of Mr Cai comes just days after St George provided a recap of the foundations established in 2023 to build an exciting, highly prospective portfolio of lithium and battery metals projects in Western Australia – and updated for the first time on plans for 2024.