Jeff Townsend
Founder
Critical Minerals Association
Jeff has nearly 20 years of experience working in the political sphere of Westminster, Capitol Hill and the Southern African Development Community.
His expertise in foreign affairs and international development has led him to advise, senior Ministers, ambassadors and national leaders. Jeff is an expert at political strategy, campaigning and communications and has transferred these skills into the private sector providing political advice to FTSE100 and S&P500 companies. Jeff was born on a mine in Carltonville, South Africa and grew up in mining communities around the world following his father who worked in the sector. In 2011 he began the UK's All Party Parliamentary Group on International Mining and more recently founded the Critical Minerals Association and its political platform in Westminster.
A new critical mineral strategy for the UK post Brexit.
As the UK leaves the UK and finds itself in a global arena vastly different to the one it left on entering the European Union it will need to rediscover its old areas of expertise including mining. The world is shifting from an oil based economy to one of electric vehicles and renewable energy. Critical minerals are now the essential building blocks to the economy. If the UK's new global ambition is to be realised it must make use of its mineral expertise and begin to shape the industry. The UK's critical mineral industry is fractured and diverse. The CMA works to bring the industry together to provide a single voice for the industry and subsequently help the UK government shape its policy to ensure the UK is best placed to take advantage of the new green, global economy.