Senior Finance and Exploration Appointments

Summary by AI BETAClose X

Cobra Resources plc has appointed Cormac Byrne as Chief Financial Officer and Andrew Alesci as Exploration Manager to bolster its team for multi-project development. Byrne, previously CFO of Centrex Limited, brings extensive experience in project finance and corporate advisory, while Alesci, with over 17 years as an exploration geologist in South Australia and the Northern Territory, will support the development of Cobra's Boland and Manna Hill Projects. These appointments are intended to enhance the company's financial and technical capabilities as it advances its rare earth project at Boland and its copper-gold-molybdenum system at Manna Hill.

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Cobra Resources PLC
23 July 2026
 

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23 July 2026

                                                                                                                                                           

Cobra Resources plc

                                                                        ("Cobra" or the "Company")

 

Senior Finance and Exploration Appointments

 

Further strengthening of team to support multi project development

 

Cobra (LSE: COBR), a South Australian mineral exploration and development company, is pleased to announce the appointments of Cormac Byrne as Chief Financial Officer and Andrew Alesci as Exploration Manager.

 

Mr Byrne has transitioned to full-time from a consulting role. Prior to joining Cobra, he served as Chief Financial Officer of Centrex Limited, where Mr Byrne played a key role in the financing and development of the company's phosphate operation in Queensland.

 

Mr Byrne has previously held roles with Commonwealth Bank in Corporate & Business Banking and with HLB Mann Judd, where he developed the nationwide accounting group's expertise in debt finance, financial reporting, and audit and corporate advisory services. Mr Byrne has extensive experience in project finance, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic transactions across listed and private companies.

 

Mr Alesci has over 17 years' experience as an exploration geologist in South Australia and Northern Territory, in both mining and mineral exploration, across a range of minerals and deposit styles, including orogenic gold, epithermal silver and base metals, porphyry copper-gold, and skarn-hosted tungsten-molybdenum systems.

 

With extensive experience spanning grassroots exploration, resource growth, and project development, Mr Alesci brings technical expertise, field leadership and project management skills. Combined with his experience in economic studies, Mr Alesci will provide comprehensive support through advanced exploration and project development of Cobra's Boland and Manna Hill Projects.

 

Rupert Verco, Managing Director of Cobra, commented:

 

"The appointments of Cormac and Andrew enhance the team's financial and technical capabilities as Cobra advances two significant South Australian projects in parallel.  

 

A forthcoming maiden rare earth resource estimate will be the catalyst to enter the economic evaluation phase at our Boland in situ recovery rare earth project, while recent drilling at Manna Hill is adding considerable scale to the Blue Rose copper-gold-molybdenum system. Our expanded team will assist in timely and efficient execution of project acceleration."   

 

For the purposes of UK MAR, the person responsible for arranging release of this announcement on behalf of Cobra is Rupert Verco, Chief Executive Officer.

 

Enquiries:

 

Cobra Resources plc

Rupert Verco (Australia)

Dan Maling (UK)

 

via Vigo Consulting

+44 (0)20 7390 0234

 

 

Hannam & Partners (Joint Broker)

Leif Powis

Andrew Chubb

+44 (0)20 7907 8500

 

                                                                                         

 

SI Capital Limited (Joint Broker)

Nick Emerson

Sam Lomanto

+44 (0)1483 413 500

 

Vigo Consulting (Financial Public Relations)

Ben Simons

 

+44 (0)20 7390 0234

cobra@vigoconsulting.com

 

About Cobra

 

Cobra Resources is a South Australian critical minerals developer, advancing assets at all stages of the pre-production pathway.

 

In 2023, Cobra identified the Boland ionic rare earth discovery at its Wudinna Project in the Gawler Craton - Australia's only rare earth project suitable for in situ recovery (ISR) mining. ISR is a low-cost, low-disturbance extraction method that eliminates the need for excavation, positioning Boland to achieve bottom-quartile recovery costs.

 

In 2025, Cobra further expanded its portfolio by optioning the Manna Hill Copper Project in the Nackara Arc, South Australia. The project contains multiple underexplored prospects with strong potential to deliver large-scale copper discoveries.

 

In 2025, Cobra sold its Wudinna Gold Assets to Barton Gold (ASX: BDG) for up to A$15 million in cash and shares.

 

Regional map showing Cobra's tenements in South Australia

 

 

 

Follow us on social media:

 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cobraresourcesplc  

X: https://twitter.com/Cobra_Resources

 

Engage with us by asking questions, watching video summaries and seeing what other shareholders have to say. Navigate to our Interactive Investor hub here: https://investors.cobraplc.com/link/PnK0oy

 

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