Julian Stephens

Non-Executive Director of Viking Mines Limited (ASX: VKA), appointed 11 Mar 2025. Member, Australian Institute of Geoscientists; 25+ years' industry experience. Led Sovereign Metals Limited (ASX: SVM) as Managing Director from 2016, growing its market capitalisation from ~A$13M to over A$230M and leading the team that discovered the world's largest rutile deposit at Kasiya, Malawi, helping secure a ~US$40M strategic investment from Rio Tinto; transitioned to Non-Executive Director of Sovereign effective 20 Oct 2023 when Frank Eagar was appointed MD/CEO (current, concurrent NED seat retained at Sovereign). Holds a BSc (Hons) and a doctorate conferred by James Cook University in 2003, on Reduced Intrusion-Related Gold (RIRG) systems in the Yukon, Canada; a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists and of the Society of Economic Geologists.