Experience is key Board of Directors.
Outstanding major project, technical and finance experience at the Executive and Board level.
Our experts Board of Directors.
The Vulcan expert team is supported by a Board with decades of leadership and expertise in the lithium industry, geology, and investment banking.
Executive Chair Dr Francis Wedin
Dr Wedin is a battery materials and renewable energy industry executive, focused on developing global scale decarbonisation opportunities. Dr Wedin founded Vulcan Energy and its integrated sustainable lithium and renewable energy business, a dual renewables and lithium chemicals company and the world’s first zero fossil fuels, carbon neutral lithium project.
Dr Wedin was previously Executive Director of ASX-listed Exore Resources, where he developed two new lithium resources, on two continents. He is bilingual, has a PhD and BSc (Hons) in geology, an MBA in renewable energy, is a Fellow of the Geological Society, London, and a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
Managing Director and CEO Cris Moreno
Mr Moreno has over 20 years’ global experience in successfully delivering major, unique, and challenging projects, including in the lithium chemicals, cathode, and LNG sectors.
In the LNG sector, he has held leadership roles with Santos, Woodside, and Shell, including working on the Browse, Gorgon, and Prelude LNG projects. Prior to joining Vulcan, Mr Moreno worked in the lithium chemicals and battery cathode sector in Europe, as Senior Director Programs for Northvolt–Cathode Active Material (CAM) Business Unit, and Vice President – Engineering and Development for Aurora Lithium, Northvolt’s lithium hydroxide refinery in Europe.
Lead Independent Director and Deputy Chair Angus Barker
With over 30 years of professional experience, Mr Barker is a Director of listed companies who brings a wealth of expertise in mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, and strategic advisory. He held senior executive roles at top-tier global investment banks across Australia, the United Kingdom, and Asia, including 12 years based in Hong Kong, and has advised public company boards and CEOs on strategic mergers and acquisitions, as well as complex capital markets transactions. Mr Barker’s deep industry knowledge spans the natural resources, financial services, infrastructure, and technology sectors, where he has guided boards and executives through complex financial decisions.
In addition to his corporate advisory roles, Mr Barker served as a Senior Adviser to Australian Government Ministers in key economic portfolios, shaping policies related to superannuation, financial services, the digital economy, trade, and foreign investment. He is the Chairman of Australian Rare Earths and a Non-Executive Director of WAM Capital.
Executive Director and Group Chief Financial Officer Felicity Gooding
Ms Gooding is a Senior Finance executive and leader with over 20 years’ experience in strategic and financial analysis, debt funding, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, management and financial accounting and governance within Australia, Singapore, London, and Washington D.C.
Her experience has been gained across multiple industries relevant to Vulcan including energy, mining, and infrastructure. Most recently Ms Gooding was CFO and Global Head of Commercial at Fortescue Future Industries, where she led the finance team, including the specialist project financing team responsible for securing finance to enable financial investment decisions for green energy projects.
Non-Executive Director and Chair of the ARESG committee Josephine Bush
Ms Bush is a qualified solicitor and chartered tax advisor, as well as earning the CFA ESG investing qualification and a sustainable finance certification. She has an MA in Law from Cambridge University. She built and led the UK and Ireland Renewables Tax Practice and developed latterly the EY global renewables business plan. Ms Bush was a member of the Ernst & Young Power and Utilities Board and UK&I Governance Board and was a senior partner at EY for 14 years.
Non-Executive Director and Chair of the POC committee Dr Günter Hilken
Dr Hilken has over 35 years’ experience and a deep understanding of the German chemicals, renewables, and infrastructure investment sectors, and, through leading industry advocacy associations, the German Government at the State and Federal levels. Dr Hilken is a Senior Advisor to Macquarie Asset Management, Director of Currenta, and President and Chairman of the Board of the German Federation of Industrial Energy Consumers (VIK).
Non-Executive Director Dr Heidi Grön
Dr Grön is a chemical engineer by background and an accomplished business leader with over 22 years’ experience in the chemicals industry. Since 2007, Dr Grön has been a senior executive with Evonik, one of the largest specialty chemicals companies in the world, with a market capitalisation of €14B and 32,000 employees.
Board Advisors
Special Advisor and Co-Founder Dr Horst Kreuter
Dr Kreuter is a highly experienced businessman and engineering geologist, with an extensive and distinguished record of project development and consulting in the geothermal sector. He worked successfully in geothermal project development and permitting in Germany and worldwide and is a Co-Founder of Vulcan ZERO CARBON LITHIUM™️ Project, as well as Ex-CEO of Geothermal Group Germany GmbH and GeoThermal Engineering GmbH (GeoT). Dr Kreuter has a widespread political, investor and industry network in Germany and Europe. He is based in Karlsruhe, local to the project area in the Upper Rhine Valley.
Special Advisor Julia Poliscanova
Ms Poliscanova is a senior director with the EU’s Transport and Environment. She is instrumental in shaping policies around EU vehicle CO2 standards and sustainable batteries. Ms Poliscanova previously worked for the Mayor of London as a senior EU policy officer. She is also on the steering committee for the Battery CO2 Passport program of the Global Battery Alliance.