Events & Courses

Time and location

6.30pm at University Women's Club, 2 Audley Square London W1K 1DB.

Event details

Hear from Jeff Townsend – Co-founder of the Critical Minerals Association.

Jeff founded the Critical Minerals Associations in the UK, Australia and the United States. He is Chair of the UK Government's Climates Programme Advisory Board and chaired the supply chain vulnerability working on the Government's Task and Finish.

Prior to this, Jeff was an advisor on international affairs, development and security in Southern Africa, Washington DC and the United Kingdom.

Jeff's father is a mineral processor and so Jeff himself was born on a mine in South Africa then then up on mine sites around the world. Instead of following his father in the mining industry though, he decided to go into an even dirtier industry and spent almost 20 years in politics! However, he became deeply frustrated by governments setting industrial strategies without mention of supply chains and it turned out that they simply were not talking to the right people to understand them. So, he founded the Critical Minerals Association to ensure that the voice of the sector was being heard in the corridors of power.

One of the key issues is how companies present themselves. As an industry, we seem to be stuck with a focus purely on IR but the game has changed and our industry has to be much better at presenting itself holistically. As mining, society and politics becomes increasingly intertwined, the industry will need to present itself in a different way to be heard and supported... just look at Serbia for some evidence of that.

Jeff is an experienced public affairs and campaign strategist with experience working in the highest levels of business and politics. He brings skills in lobbying, public and government affairs, and campaign strategy development. He is well connected with political arenas in the UK, EU, Middle East, and Africa. Coming from a mining background, he knows the importance of the mining sector and is passionate about securing the UK's critical mineral supply chains.

Jeff joined the Materials Processing Institute as the latest member of its PRISM Advisory Board. PRISM is a five-year research and innovation programme, led by the Institute to revolutionise the steel and metals sector. Funded through Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, it supports Government and aims to achieve net zero by 2050, improve business productivity and competitiveness while levelling up the UK regions.

Further information

The cost of the dinner is usually £70 per person.

To register your interest or find out more, please email the Group Secretary at [email protected]