Our Senior Team

Established in 2000, Palaris employs a diverse range of professionals with substantial resources experience. Our core values emphasise professionalism and integrity – this underpins all that we do.

Our Senior Team

  • Global
    picture of John Pala
    John Pala

    Managing Director

    John’s breadth of advisory capability is backed by 35 years of operational and consultancy experience in the resources industry. He has a deep understanding of project value drivers.

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    John Pala
  • Global
    picture of Ben Hammond
    Ben Hammond

    Chief Operating Officer

    Ben brings to the table a unique blend of commercial knowledge and experience balanced with a deep technical mining background.

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    Ben Hammond
  • United Kingdom
    picture of Kent Shackel
    Kent Shackel

    Senior Manager – EMEA

    Kent is a mechanical engineer and project manager with 25 years’ experience in precious metals, base metals and uranium within the mineral resource industry.

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    Kent Shackel
  • South Africa
    picture of Mike Brown
    Mike Brown

    Managing Partner – African Region

    Mike has over 35 years’ experience in the resources industry in management, operational, and director roles. 

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    Mike Brown
  • Canada
    picture of Vlad Gladyshev
    Vlad Gladyshev

    Senior Manager – Americas

    Vlad is a seasoned mining executive with over 15 years of industry experience across North America, Africa, and Russia.

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    Vlad Gladyshev
  • Australia
    picture of Caue ‘Paul’ Araujo
    Caue ‘Paul’ Araujo

    General Manager Mine Finance Advisory

    Caue ‘Paul’ has over 20 years of experience in the resources industry across a variety of operational, consulting, management, and advisory roles, including both Executive and Director level roles.

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    Caue ‘Paul’ Araujo
  • Australia
    picture of Steve Robinson
    Steve Robinson

    General Manager Safety, Health and Risk

    Steve has over 20 years of experience in risk management and safety in a variety of industries including mining, construction, and heavy industry.Steve has over 20 years of experience in risk management and safety in a variety of industries including mining, construction, and heavy industry.

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    Steve Robinson
  • Australia
    picture of Ryan Gomez
    Ryan Gomez

    General Manager Mine Optimisation Studies

    With over 10 years of experience in the resources industry, Ryan has worked in open cut coal and graphite mines across Australia and Brazil.

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    Ryan Gomez
  • Australia
    picture of Steph Byrom
    Steph Byrom

    General Manager Decarbonisation

    An experienced senior manager with proven abilities in providing strategic and technical expertise to decarbonise the energy and natural resources sector.

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    Steph Byrom
  • Australia
    picture of Chris Nicholas
    Chris Nicholas

    General Manager Mine Feasibility and Advisory

    Chris has over 16 years of experience in the coal and resources industry within Australia. He has held various engineering, technical and business positions specifically in the underground coal industry.

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    Chris Nicholas
  • Australia
    picture of James Smith
    James Smith

    Senior Manager – East Coast

    James has spent over 20 years working in the resources industry, both in consulting and site roles with substantial exposure to underground and open pit mining.

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    James Smith
  • Australia
    picture of Craig Sparks
    Craig Sparks

    Manager Asset Management

    With over 25 years of experience in the resources sector, Craig is a highly experience Mechanical Engineer, who has held the Statutory Manager of Mechanical Engineering position at two underground coal mines.

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    Craig Sparks
  • Asia-Pacific
    picture of Stephen Miller
    Stephen Miller

    Senior Manager APAC

    Stephen is an accomplished mining engineer with over 30 years’ experience, 17 of which were in consulting roles throughout many countries including Australia, Botswana, China, India, Russia, Norway, Germany, and Mexico.

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    Stephen Miller
  • Australia
    picture of Nathan Hipwell
    Nathan Hipwell

    Manager Engineering Services

    As a Mechanical Engineer in the mining industry, Nathan has experience in equipment utilisation and optimisation through downtime analysis. His experience also extends to risk management, systems and procedural development, integrating and improving work processes and equipment safety compliance.

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    Nathan Hipwell
  • Australia
    picture of Rob Kidd
    Rob Kidd

    Manager Safety, Health & Risk

    Rob has over 15 years experience within the field of Occupational Health and Safety with a significant portion being gained in site-based roles within senior leadership teams.

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    Rob Kidd
  • Australia
    picture of Jacqueline London
    Jacqueline London

    Manager Metals WA

    Jacqueline is a professional engineer with 20 years’ international experience in process engineering and plant design, management and execution of mining and resource projects for gold, base metals and industrial minerals valued up to US$500 million.

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    Jacqueline London