About – IPMB GeM

THE IPMB COIN

IPM stands for International Precious Metals. We are a team of metallurgists, chemists, engineers, miners, process designers, and traders worldwide.

IPM works on the ground across Africa and South America with local and international companies. We support and work in partnership with local villages and communities providing community support and process design in their operations. This ensures full traceability and accountability for all operations from the mine to the cloud

IPM Ltd has over 250 years of rich experience in the precious metals industry. Our team at IPM Ltd is committed to delivering precious metals from their earth ores to the surface. We are also committed to delivering these precious metals to the cloud with the introduction of the IPMB digital coin. We care about the environment at IPM Ltd, and that’s why all our work here is environmentally safe.

THE EXECUTIVE TEAM

JOHN VAKIS

CEO and Founder – IPM Ltd

John is a company entrepreneur and has traded gold for multinational banks for 25 years. He’s worked in mines, mining processes, logistics, and bullion dealing. Sovereign Funds and Multinationals have noticed his value-creating ability. He supplies metal to global refineries and advises on precious metal recovery, solving supply chain problems on all continents.

MIHAI ALBU

Director and Co-Founder – IPM Ltd

Mihai has over 22 years of entrepreneurial experience. He started his career with close protection security and quickly progressed to advising governments/corporates on international security and cyber solutions. During his career, Mihai has developed a formidable network of HNW / UHNW individuals and governments and has assisted in developing relationships between multinational companies and governments within Europe, the UK and the Middle East. Mihai’s vast experience and network will ensure that IPMB is introduced at government level across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

SCOTT PAGEL

Head of Investment Strategy and Co-Founder – IPM Ltd

Scott graduated from Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, in 1994 as valedictorian with a BA in Economics. In 1994, he joined Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM) in New York in the institutional separate account marketing area, focusing on equity and global tactical asset allocation strategies. He transferred to the London office of GSAM in 1996 and became a member of the European equity team as a research analyst covering technology securities. Subsequently, he was involved in the start-up and management of two long/short European equity hedge funds which both managed assets of over $1 billion. He joined Adelphi Capital Limited at its inception in September 1997 as a research analyst/portfolio manager, assisting in the management of Adelphi funds. In September 2001, he left Adelphi Capital to establish Gradient Capital Partners LLP as co-founder/managing partner, running the business and Gradient funds for two decades and then converting to the management of internal capital as a family office.

MARK LINEHAM

Head of Commercial – IPM Ltd

Mark’s background was originally in civil engineering, construction, and property development which then led on to land acquisition. This industry allowed Mark to meet and consult with many varied influential individuals over the years which in turn allowed him to pursue his true passion of networking in trade and commerce activities spanning the globe. Working with and alongside high net worth individuals and institutions, and with such abilities in his communication skills and experience he has also been successful in structuring highly profitable local and international trades with limitless possibilities for the future.

OPERATIONS

GEORGE AGATHANGELOU

Chief Operating Officer

George Agathangelou has served most of his career as an executive for Cyprus Investment Firms and is a holder of CySEC professional competence certificate. With over 16 years of experience in regulated financial markets and a decade of experience in Bitcoin, as an international public speaker, George has delivered presentations on DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology) and blockchain in numerous countries. He also holds several non-exec directorships. George holds a MSc in Digital Currencies and Blockchain Technology (Cum Laude), an MBA and a BA in Economics. His experience across the board in Distributed Ledger Technologies, Virtual Asset Service Providers’ services, DeFi (Decentralized Finance), Asset Tokenization, Metaverse, Web3, NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) will prove invaluable as the ecosystem grows across different platforms.

GROUND OPERATIONS

MR DUAH AGYEMAN

Head of Africa & Ground Operations Director

Duah is an essential part of IPMB. With extensive experience and a network across Africa, Duah has been mining and procuring gold since he was 18 years old. Graduating from the Doyer Institute of Intelligence and Investigations, he has held positions in a number of mining companies and also with the National Security Ministry Special Office Directorate specialising in Fraud Investigations. Duah has vast expertise in different types of mining and has the respect of our workers and miners on the ground.

ADVISORY

MARCUS GRUBB

Senior Precious Metals Industry Advisor

Marcus is a highly experienced professional with a remarkable 30 years’ worth of experience in the financial industry. He has held significant positions at prestigious financial institutions such as the World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC), the World Gold Council (WGC), UBS, Salomon Brothers, Rabobank, and Warburg. Throughout his career, he has served in various roles, including Director of WPIC, Managing Director of Investment at WGC, and Chief Executive of a derivatives exchange. Marcus has overseen market development, the ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) program, global marketing, and research, making him an asset in the C-suite and as a board member in the financial sector. Additionally, he is currently a non-executive Director and advisor for an asset management firm in London and Luxembourg, as well as London-based fintech companies. Marcus Grubb’s expertise spans investment strategy, capital markets, asset allocation, and precious metals. He is recognised as a leading commentator on macro investment trends and has made significant contributions to the development and marketing of investment products in the industry.

LEGAL

ALEXANDROS ALEXANDROU

Senior Legal Officer

Graduating with a Master of Laws following his law degree, Alexandros used his knowledge of the law to jump into the digital world. Working initially at Banc de Binary and the FXVC forex company, he went on to set up his own law firm providing legal support in the digital and crypto industry. As well as running his own law firm he is currently a Director of uQualify providing legal and e-services to payments and crypto operators. Alexandros is accredited by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission as well as CISI and ACAMS. His experience and knowledge in navigating the ever-changing world of compliance ensures that the IPMB ecosystem is ahead of all compliance requirements and ensures all IPMB and GeM NFT users can operate smoothly across all jurisdictions.

MARIOS PAPALOIZOU

Marios is our key man on the ground providing solutions in corporate transactions and facilitating our operations across Europe and Africa. Mr. Marios Papaloizou was born in 1981 in Nicosia, obtained his law degree from the Law Faculty of the University of Athens in 2007, joined the Law Office in 2013 and is now head of CPM Law. He was an active member of the Athens Bar Association until 2010 and now is a Member of the Cyprus Bar Association and the Nicosia Bar Association

TECHNICAL

VASILIS TSIOLKAS

Chief Technical Officer

Graduating in 2008 with a degree in Civil Engineering, Vasilis has been actively involved in developing software technologies for over twenty years. Vasilis is fluent in the following blockchain technologies – Bitcoin, Litecoin, Dash, Ethereum, Polygon; any EVM-based Languages – Python, Javascript, Typescript; backend – Django, Flask, Celery, Nodejs-Express, NestJS; front end – React, Nextjs. He has implemented two separate blockchain-related products including an NFT minting and distribution platform on the Ethereum and Polygon blockchains. He has been a CTO, Lead Software Engineer and Technical Director overseeing architecture and day-to-day operations of platforms. A talented and forward-thinking individual he is also joint first author of “VarSome: the Human Genomic Variant Search Engine”. Vasilis will oversee our technical team and add the best industry / leading technical performance to our ecosystem.

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

ZEIN CHAMAS

Chief Marketing Officer

Zein has a proven record of developing and implementing successful marketing strategies for SMBs of different sizes. Alongside his certification of specialization in strategy from Harvard, Zein has gained 8 years of experience between startups, business development, and digital marketing. Previously, the CMO of a blockchain Saas startup, he is well versed in the Web 3 space. Zein, has been featured on the blockchain marketing podcast, were he gave tips on how to best market and strategize in Web 3. In addition, he has given an NFT marketing lecture on NextMBA, a platform hosting leaders in the world of marketing and business development such as the father of marketing, Philip Kotler. Zein plays a key role in delivering both our IPMB and GeM tokens to the forefront of digital tokens.

JAMIE TURNER

Head of Social Media

Jamie is a highly skilled professional with over ten years of experience in team leadership, customer service, community management, social media management, and content creation. He has hosted numerous events and is an experienced public speaker. His skill set includes marketing, design, and content creation, with a particular interest and passion for blockchain and cryptocurrency. Graduating from Bristol University, he has been Head of Communications and Community Management at Neon EVM and at Naoris Protocol. Jamie will be key in developing and growing our community and developing and promoting further community events globally. Jamie will coordinate and manage the IPMB marketing function and ensure community access and functionality for the IPMB ecosystem.

PHYSICAL PRODUCT DESIGN

JOCELYN NEWBERRY

Jocelyn is a highly credentialed professional with over 35 years of experience in design and engineering, specialising in innovation and consumer integration. With a strong focus on the intersection of business design, strategy, technology, and product delivery, Jocelyn can deliver multi-disciplinary solutions. His expertise extends to developing business solutions across various domains, contributing to business growth. Jocelyn’s educational background includes qualifications from prestigious institutions such as Cambridge, Imperial College, and MDes College of Art. He plays an instrumental role in the product design and development of IPM Ltd.

GLOBAL NETWORK AND EXECUTION

DOMINIC D’SOUZA

Dominic is a highly influential figure and has advisory roles with a number of family offices and as the Senior Trustee for a Middle Eastern Royal Family’s Technology & Security Systems. With over two decades of experience, he has served as a senior advisor to a Royal Family Fund network, overseeing their Precious Metals Holdings and digital currency endeavours. Dominic’s expertise spans the domains of technology and the environment, where he has made significant contributions. He has successfully established forest harvesting, carbon capture, and photovoltaic parks in Europe and Africa, providing sustainable energy solutions to both urban centres and remote locations. Dominic’s commitment to promoting environmentally friendly practices and renewable energy sources reflects his dedication to a more sustainable future and also provides an overview for continuous improvements in all our and partner ground operations. Partner organisations and their roles The International Precious Metals ecosystem is meticulously managed and structured to ensure security, confidence, and stability for all participants involved in the tokens. To uphold these standards, IPM Ltd has partnered with reputable independent third-party companies entrusted with managing and overseeing the operations of the IPM ecosystem. These strategic collaborations help establish a robust framework that instils trust and provides a reliable environment for participants within the ecosystem.

Senior Advisory and Compliance:

GRANT THORNTON (BLOCKCHAIN) CYPRUS LTD

Grant Thornton, a prominent global professional services firm, has a Distributed Ledger Technology division that plays a crucial role in ensuring the security and compliance of the IPMB ecosystem. With their expertise in blockchain and crypto, Grant Thornton Cyprus’s dedicated unit is recognised as a leading entity in the sector worldwide. Leveraging their extensive global network and deep knowledge in digital asset auditing and compliance, Grant Thornton (Blockchain) Cyprus collaborates with IPM Ltd to maintain the highest levels of security, auditing of physical gold inventory and compliance. This collaboration aims to alleviate concerns, eliminate fear, and dispel scepticism among investors and token holders, providing them with a trustworthy and reliable platform.

FIREBLOCKS

Token Custodian and Transaction Manager

Fireblocks, based in the United Kingdom, serves as the Token Custodian and Transaction Manager for the IPM ecosystem. Renowned for its secure digital asset infrastructure, Fireblocks is responsible for managing day-to-day digital crypto operations within the ecosystem. With a record of accomplishment of supporting over 1,500 of the world’s largest companies and institutions, Fireblocks offers the most trusted and secure token custody and transaction management systems globally. This partnership ensures that IPM ecosystem participants can have the utmost confidence in the safety and integrity of their digital assets.

COMPLIANCE

CHRISSIE KENDALL-JONES

Head of Compliance – IPM Ltd

Chrissie holds a Bachelor of Laws – LL.B (Hons) and a Masters (LL.M) in e-commerce and holds 27 plus years’ experience within legal and compliance. Chrissie has a variety of skills from gaining regulatory licence approvals and back-office set-up, varying permissions and compliance advisory and has assisted firms receiving Regulatory Notices, from identifying the point of issue to enforcing regulations at all levels whilst providing guidance to the Board in all matters. Chrissie is particularly skilled in the identification, assessment, monitoring and control of compliance and risk frameworks in line with regulatory requirements and best practices.

MENA Region

H.H MOHAMMED BIN FAISAL BIN SAUD AL SAUD

Head of Strategy, MENA Region

Born in Saudi Arabia Mohammed has extensive business, investment and political experience around the globe. With positions ranging from Vice Consul to Los Angeles to President of Al-Hilal football club. Mohammed is also an experienced real estate investor with years of investment history and has been a digital asset and technology investor across the globe for the past decade. His experience across the MENA region, as well as across the USA, will assist IPMB to penetrate into numerous countries and place the token into the right networks with confidence.

ACCOUNTS

Grace Saah

Grace is a qualified accountant and manages our book-keeping and accounting on the ground.
Being Ghanain herself, she has had experience with large multinational companies as well as dealing with local small to medium-sized mining companies. Grace’s network provides more supply to our business creating a more robust company.

THE SENIOR TECHNICAL TEAM

DAMIAN WALTON

Damian founded Amelco Ltd. Graduating in electronic and electrical engineering Damian followed a career in developing software for the financial markets, managing real time pricing and trading on a global basis within the investment banking sector.

Damian worked both in the City of London and the USA markets harnessing and expanding his skills and knowledge. He is now a leading transaction engine designer and builder and his work is acknowledged in both sports and financial services trading. As a keen sports player and fan Damian was always drawn to the world of sports and he developed an idea he had to create an online sports betting trading platform which would encompass his passions of both trading platforms and sports. So, in 2007 Damian formed the company Amelco UK ltd with his wife and Financial director Natalie. Now a renowned engine builder for the gaming and financial industires.

LEON WYNNE

With over 20 years’ experience working in the online and I gaming environment, Leon has had extensive experience in the implementation of key operational processes and procedures in numerous ground-breaking projects. Leon has wide-ranging Project Manager and People management skills having successfully managed and overseen Operations, Customer Support, Fraud, Marketing, Development, Community, Payments, Content and Technical teams within Amelco. Specialties include: Operational Management, Project Management, Product Management, Business development, Change Control, Online Gaming & Gambling, Online Poker & Skill Games; Sports Betting, Billing Systems, Content Production, Road Map Definition, QA, Customer Support. Familiar with Agile, Six Sigma, Prince 2 and Waterfall models.

ANGUS JOHNSTON

Head of Data Management & Analysis

Angus began analysing emerging technologies such as AI and Blockchain at 16 years old. He studied History at the University of Nottingham, whilst continuing analytic research for IHS Markit and the BBC. Once graduated, he joined Dell Technologies focusing on Data Centre and Software Solutions. He worked closely with the UK CTO to educate on new-to-market products, to clients in North America. He consistently managed, retained and sold to enterprises such as Samsung and Monzo, driving multi-millions in revenue. Angus left Dell to combine his vast experience of emerging technologies, with his detailed understanding of web3, to create new and innovative Business Development and Marketing strategies.

ALEX S. RADER

Alex is an American entrepreneurial and financial consultant. She earned a BA in Economics & a Masters in accounting in the states. Her experience spans from public accounting, business structuring, establishing startups, corporate re-organization, and real estate – including development, investment, and advisory services. Her network includes high net worth individuals in the Americas and Asia. She will serve as Strategic Advisor and International Advisory Board member to the Company.

ROLAND SCHATZ

Roland was interim president of Geneva Agape Foundation and Founder/CEO of the United Nations Global Sustainability Index Institute UNGSII Foundation. He was also Founder and CEO of InnoVatio Publishing and Media Tenor International and former Senior Advisor to Michael Moller, Director General of the UN in Geneva.

For the last 30 years, he has been devoted to implementing social change. In 2008 he launched, together with Prince Ghazi of Jordan, the Grandmufti of Egypt Ali Gooma and the Bishop of London, Lord Richard Chartres, the C1 One World Dialogue foundation to improve Inter-Faith-Dialogue. Schatz teaches Perception Change and hosts masterclasses on ‘Unlearning Intolerance’ together with UN Academic Impact. Roland is a key negotiator and a solution provider to enable countries, businesses, networks to work together and integrate to mutual benefit.

RORY JENKINS

Rory matriculated as a mechanical engineer at Cambridge University, going on to read law and computer science. He qualified as a solicitor with Herbert Smith, playing professional rugby for Harlequins and England. He is the founding partner with Damian Walton in the leading financial trading and sports betting technology company Amelco UK Ltd.

RUPERT BARING

Rupert has over 20 years of working in the diamond industry including serving as diamond broker with De Beers and I. Hennig & Co., gaining experience in diamond markets in Belgium, Israel and India and negotiating mineral licenses in Africa. He was a co-founder and director of Mantle Diamonds Ltd., where he raised capital for the purchase and development of the Lerala Diamond Mine in Botswana and assisted in developing government relations.

Rupert is currently appointed as an independent non-executive director to the Kimberley Diamonds Limited’s Board. The Kimberley process ensures the export and trade of all rough diamonds is compliant to abolish blood diamonds and to provide fairness for all peoples involved. Rupert will assist and provide his network and experience across Africa and globally to ensure compliant green gold sources maintain their standards and protocols.