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Vytas

Vytas

Powering the Future

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  • About
    • About Vytas
    • Vision, Mission and Values
    • Board and Management
    • Corporate Governance
    • Corporate Directory
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    • Green Hydrogen
    • Ultra High Purity Quartz
    • Nanoporous Silicon
    • Silane
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Board & Management

Our goal is to redefine what is possible at the intersection of advanced materials science and emerging energy technologies. By advancing highly prospective technology minerals, we are dedicated to producing materials capable of meeting premium market specifications and creating sustainable shareholder value. To achieve this, we prioritise disciplined execution and a measured, capital-efficient approach.

Our well-positioned and motivated team adapts as we learn, continuously evolving our processes to transition these innovations into scalable commercial products and realise their significant long-term potential.

Committed to our word. Driven to deliver. This is Vytas.

Board

Ian Sedgman

Chair

David Cornell

Managing Director

Adam Pratt

Executive Director

Phillip Bellamy

Non-Executive Director

Leadership Team

David Cornell

Managing Director

Adam Pratt

Chief Operating Officer

Jack Rosagro

Company Secretary

Conrad Mulherin

Chief Commercial Officer

David Palfrey

Business Development & Finance Manager

Neala Gillespie

Manager OH&S and Environment

Sam Collins

Geology Manager

Danika Zielgelaar

UHPQ Project Manager

Research and Development Team

David Western

R&D Laboratory Manager

Dan Manetas

Laboratory Technician

Scott Stipkovich

Assay Laboratory Manager

Operations Team

Sean Yardley

Senior Process Operator

Paul Rayner

Senior Process Technician

Craig Hopkins

Mechanical Technician

Business Advisors

Erik Limpaecher

Solid State Fuels & Electrical Engineer

Raymond Pratt

Electrical & Construction

Disclosures:

  • Erik Limpaecher is an adviser to the Group and a director of Vice Pty Ltd
  • Raymond Pratt is an adviser to the Group and a director of Vice Pty Ltd

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Contact

+61 418 910 747

[email protected]

23 Success Way, Henderson
Western Australia 6166

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Mechanical Technician

Craig Hopkins

Craig has over 30 years of extensive experience in the mechanical maintenance field within the mining and manufacturing industries. His career has spanned a diverse range of environments, including nickel and oil refineries, chemical processing plants, production assembly plants, construction sites and fabrication workshops, providing him with a well-rounded understanding of mechanical maintenance processes.

UHPQ Project Manager

Danika Zielgelaar

Danika Ziegelaar is a process engineer with experience across process design, project delivery, and operational field engineering within advanced processing industries. She brings a practical, solutions‑focused approach to developing and optimising process systems, supporting both project execution and on‑site operational performance.

At Vytas, Danika plays a key role in engineering development, site expansion activities, and project management, ensuring technical quality and reliable implementation as the business continues to grow. Her background includes work in high‑purity quartz and other advanced materials, where she applies strong analytical capability and hands‑on plant experience to improve efficiency and system reliability.

Chair

Ian Sedgman

Ian is an experienced mining and high purity quartz executive, having been the Chief Strategy & Business Development Officer at Sibelco.

Prior to joining Sibelco, Ian worked at Glencore as General Manager Operations Performance and Technology, was General Manager Infrastructure and Head of Project Delivery at Adani, and held senior positions with BHP Billiton, Yancoal Australia and Gladstone Ports Corporation.

Senior Process Technician

Paul Rayner

Paul has 30 years experience in the mining industry as a process technician in minerals and energy. Throughout these years he has gained a wealth of knowledge in various operations relevant to high purity production and hydrogen.

Paul has a trade in electrical and mechanical which he draws on every day. Safety and sustainability are key attributes of Paul. 

He is a father to 6 children and 3 grand children and enjoys fishing and camping with his family and friends.

Assay Laboratory Manager

Scott Stipkovich

(B.Sc Physics and Nanotechnology)

Scott is a chemist with 10 years of experience in laboratory settings, he brings a passion for instrumentation and analytical method development. 

Scott is responsible for Vytas’ assay laboratory construction, analytical method development (ICP-OES, ICP-MS), complex sample matrix processing and metallurgical process development, calcination, phase transformation mechanisms and training the laboratory support team.

His Bachelor of Science majors were physics and nanotechnology, being relevant to Vytas’ Technology Materials and Green Hydrogen On Demand.

Manager OH&S and Environment

Neala Gillespie

(B.Sc. Env and M.Sc. OHS)

Neala Gillespie is a sustainability leader within the resources sector with over 30 years’ experience providing strategic and practical direction in the environmental, health and safety, and social governance areas in the resources sector and held senior roles from the development phase through to closure in Australia and overseas.

Neala is responsible for ensuring systems are implemented in the environmental and safety areas and supporting Vytas in its rapid growth phase in these areas and ensuring good practices systems are in place.

Neala holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Masters of Science in OHS.

Executive Director

Adam Pratt

(B. Sc Env, Phd. Sc)

Adam Pratt has 30 years’ experience in science, ultra high purity materials and the clean energy & resources sector within Australia and overseas.

Adam has been instrumental in the development team, advancing Ultra High Purity Quartz, synthetic silica, silane, carbon free silicon and Vytas’ Green Hydrogen On Demand project.

Adam’s Phd in science and extensive relevant industry experience. enabled Vytas to advance its projects efficiently and effectively.

Senior Process Operator

Sean Yardley

Sean brings to Vytas over 30 years experience with BHP, WMC and WASA, with extensive experience in continuous operating metallurgical plants.

In his capacity as a Specialist Level Process Operator, Sean has managed complex processes, ensuring safety and regulatory compliance, whilst driving efficiency and process improvement.

Laboratory Technician

Dan Manetas

(B.Comm & Master Chem Eng)

Dan is a chemical engineer having completed his Masters of Professional Engineering (Chemical Engineering) and has a Bachelor of Commerce, Engineering Science and Finance.

Dan is a valuable team member, leading the pathway in Vytas’ laboratory working on Green Hydrogen On Demand, Ultra High Purity Quartz and Carbon Free Silicon.

R&D Laboratory Manager

David Western

(B.Sc and M.Sc (Research))

David has a background in inorganic chemistry and significant in technology materials, R&D and the mining industry. Including managed hydro-metallurgy laboratories, been a process engineer and a laboratory technician of an analytical laboratory.

David is currently the laboratory technician of the R&D laboratory at Vytas. He brings his laboratory and wet chemistry knowledge into developing and conducting test work as well as managing the R&D laboratory.

David has a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Research at Western Sydney University.

Geology Manager

Sam Collins

(B.Sc Geology)

Sam is an experienced Geology Manager with over a decade of working in resources industry, environmental management, laboratory testing, metallurgy and Ultra High Purity Materials.

Sam is responsible for tenement management including stakeholder relations, resource modelling, mining approvals, environmental compliance and environmental impact assessment.

Sam has a Bachelor’s degree focused in Applied Geology from Curtin University.

Electrical & Construction

Raymond Pratt

Raymond Pratt believes that growth and support for Indigenous business ownership within the wider community will advance Indigenous entrepreneurship, and thereby improve social and employment opportunities and overall wellbeing for Indigenous people.

Director and founder Raymond Pratt is a proud Western Arrernte man who pursued his dream of becoming an electrician and now leads one of the Northern Territories largest electrical and construction firms, Dice Electrical, with a national footprint.

A passion for improving the employment and economic opportunities for Indigenous people was the driving force of Raymond in the early days. Whilst it remains a key goal, Raymond is focussed on empowering people and powering thriving communities. Raymond achieves this goal with his hands-on trade experience to contribute to several Indigenous business with leading technologies globally such as Green Hydrogen On demand.

Chief Commercial Officer

Conrad Mulherin

(BSc (Geo))

Conrad brings 13 years of experience in a variety of commercial roles across the mining and minerals industry.

Conrad co-authored the Australian Silicon Action Plan with the CSIRO. He was previously a director of a consulting and advisory practice in critical minerals at a large professional services organisation, working with a range of private and public sector clients.

Prior to that, he was on the investment team at a leading mining and resources private equity firm. Conrad is a geologist with degrees from Queen’s University in Canada and University College London.

Company Secretary

Jack Rosagro

Jack is Chartered Company Secretary, a Fellow of Governance Institute of Australia and holds a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Finance. He has 16 years’ experience in capital markets, share registry, and governance.

He is currently the company secretary for several ASX listed clients including Synergia Energy Limited (ASX:SYN), MetalsGrove Mining Limited (ASX:MGA), Intra Energy Corporation Limited (ASX: IEC), and Harvest Technology Group Limited (ASX: HTG).

Solid State Fuels & Electrical Engineer

Erik Limpaecher

(B.Sc (Electrical Eng))

Erik has over two decade of experience with hydrogen and power systems including senior appointments at Lincoln Laboratory and the Office of Naval Research where he led programs on hydrogen-fueled expeditionary energy, advanced batteries and powertrains, and solid and synthetic fuels technology R&D.

Erik is currently the Chief Innovation Officer at Mach Industries, a technology partner of Vytas.

Business Development & Finance Manager

David Palfrey

(B.Comm (Fin))

David has decades of project management and commercial experience in the energy sector.

David leads Vytas’ Finance team in the capacity of Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining Vytas David was General Manager of Finance with the United Energy Group and currently General Manager with Recharge Australia,

Non-Executive Director

Phillip Bellamy

(J.P., Dip AgTech, Dip Sust)

Phil has over 30 years’ experience in natural resource management in Western Australia. He was the founding director Wheatbelt Timber which provides specialised solutions in soil science, land management, water management, forestry and carbon accounting, rehabilitation and natural systems. Phil has significant corporate experience, including Solar Sustain International which develops reverse osmosis technology. Phil is one of the founding directors of Vytas Resource.

Managing Director

David Cornell

(BComm (Acc&Fin), GDip CA)

David has 30 years’ experience in science, finance and energy metals.

David commenced his career in the Marine Science Department for the Department of Defence before pursuing a career in clean energy and energy metals.

David is the Managing Director of Vytas Limited, leading the development of on Green Hydrogen On Demand, producing Ultra High Purity Quartz for the solar industry and advancing Carbon Free Silicon for semiconductors, solar panel wafers and silicon anodes with a German auto-manufacturer.

David served on the board of Energy and Minerals Australia (ASX: EMA) which has Australia’s largest undeveloped uranium resource. Joining the board post-Fukushima, David lead the business restructure to Vimy Resources (ASX: VMY) with the company delivering a strong feasibility study and navigated the approval process to become the only permitted uranium mine in Western Australia. 

David holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Curtin University and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.