TSX-V-listed Giyani Metals has appointed Nicola Spooner, an experienced environmental and social (E&S) advisory professional, to its board as a nonexecutive director.

Prior to joining Giyani, Spooner established the international environmental, social and governance practice for Hatch Associates (UK) and she is founder of her own practice, Green Business Consulting.

She joins the board immediately and will serve as the chair of the corporate governance and nominating committee, replacing John Petersen who will remain on the committee, and will join the technical, health, safety, environment & sustainability committee.

Following the appointment of Spooner, the board will comprise seven directors, six of whom are independent.

“Firstly, on behalf of the Giyani team, I would like to welcome Nicola and express how incredibly pleased we are for her to join our company. Her significant expertise in the E&S sector will also help support the efforts of Marion Thomas, our VP of ESG, in maintaining our focus on sustainability as we develop the K.Hill battery manganese project into a responsible, low-carbon producer of battery materials for the electric vehicle market,” said CEO Robin Birchall.

Meanwhile, Giyani also announced the engagement of HCF International Advisers to provide a strategic funding review to assist the company in analysing various funding options for its flagship K.Hill battery manganese project, in Botswana.

HCF is an independent corporate finance advisory boutique based in London, UK, with a primary focus on the mining and metals sector. HCF provides strategic and financial advice to companies across the project life cycle and has extensive financing and technical experience as well as expertise in the funding of critical minerals projects.

The company also appointed Renmark as investor relations firm.

“With the impending release of our feasibility study for K.Hill and construction of our demonstration plant, Giyani has entered into a critical phase of its development. The appointment of Nicola, along with the engagement of HCF and Renmark, as strategic financial and investor relations advisers respectively, demonstrates how we are priming the company for the exciting months ahead,” said Birchall.

The company is currently in discussions with a number of financial institutions with respect to the funding of the development of K.Hill and HCF will work with Giyani to review and evaluate optimal solutions for its future project funding requirements.