REG - CleanTech Lithium - Appointment of CEO and Director

Cleantech LithiumAnnouncement

10/04/2025 07:00

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RNS Number : 3942E  CleanTech Lithium PLC  10 April 2025

10 April 2025

CleanTech Lithium PLC ("CleanTech Lithium" or the "Company")

Appointment of CEO and Director

 

CleanTech Lithium PLC (AIM: CTL, Frankfurt:T2N), an exploration and
development company advancing sustainable lithium projects in Chile, is
pleased to announce the appointment of Ignacio Mehech, former Country Manager
of Albemarle in Chile, as the Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") and director of
CleanTech Lithium.

Click link to watch interview with Ignacio Mehech:
https://youtu.be/4iMx2vIZw9g (https://youtu.be/4iMx2vIZw9g)

Highlights:

·    Mr Mehech spent seven years up to 2024 at Albemarle with the last
three years as Country Manager in Chile, managing a workforce of 1,100
employees and key stakeholder relationships, including Government and
indigenous communities

·    Albemarle is the world's largest producer of battery grade lithium
with Chile accounting for 30 - 40% of its production*

·    Native to Chile, Spanish speaking and fluent in English, Mr Mehech
has deep leadership and project development experience in lithium production

·    Managed high profile engagements with investors, customers, NGOs,
analysts, scientists and international government representatives

·    Before Albemarle, Mr Mehech led the legal strategy for the El Abra
copper operation in Chile, a joint venture with Codelco, and leading US mining
company Freeport McMoRan

·    Throughout his career Mr Mehech has led profound transformations in
organisations to generate sustainable value

·    Mr Mehech holds a law degree from the Universidad de Chile and a
master's degree in Energy and Resources Law from the University of Melbourne,
Australia.

 

Ignacio Mehech, Chief Executive Officer, CleanTech Lithium PLC said:

"I've been following CleanTech Lithium's progress in Chile for the past couple
of years and have been impressed at the progress that has been achieved, with
the Company being one of the most active in Chile in seeking to develop a more
sustainable means of producing lithium from Chile's abundant brine resources.

I'm truly excited to take on the role as CEO to advance CleanTech's Laguna
Verde project and the other business opportunities in Chile. The immediate
focus is entering direct negotiations with the Chilean government and
progressing the CEOL application for Laguna Verde and delivering the
Pre-Feasibility Study to initiate strategic partner conversations. I look
forward to leading CleanTech Lithium's project development alongside a
dedicated team and to deliver value to all our stakeholders whilst supporting
the ambitions of Chile's National Lithium Strategy."

Steve Kesler, Executive Chairman, CleanTech Lithium PLC, said:

"We are delighted that Ignacio has agreed to join us as CEO. His experience in
Chile is invaluable, having been Country Manager for leading lithium producer
Albemarle, and working on the EL Abra copper mine in Chile for US mining giant
Freeport McMoRan. Ignacio joins CleanTech at a crucial point in our
development and his significant experience will be instrumental in leading our
Laguna Verde project into the next phase."

"I will continue in my role as Executive Chairman intending to move back to
being the Company's Non-Executive Chairman when our Board believes the time is
right. I look forward to working with Ignacio and remain confident in the
long-term potential of CleanTech Lithium."

Figure 1: Ignacio Mehech (centre) participating in a panel discussion at the
Future Mining and Energy Congress in Santiago, Chile October 2023. Photo
credit: Future Mining and Energy Congress

Background on Ignacio Mehech

During his tenure at Albemarle, a US-listed company with a current market cap
of around US$6 billion as of 8(th) April 2025, Mr Mehech played a pivotal role
in driving production growth, strategic negotiations, and sustainability
initiatives, significantly impacting Albemarle's operations in Chile and the
broader region. Since 2015, Chile has been Albemarle's largest single
operation - depending on market prices - accounting for 30 to 40% of its
global production.

A landmark achievement under his guidance was securing the first-ever IRMA
(Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance) certification for a lithium
operation worldwide at the Salar de Atacama plant-a testament to his
commitment to environmental and social responsibility.

Previously to Albemarle, Mr Mehech has worked as a legal manager at
Freeport-McMoRan, one of the largest copper and molybdenum producers in the
world, with multiple assets around the globe. In Chile, it operates SCM El
Abra, a joint venture with Codelco, located in Calama and where Mr Mehech was
responsible for developing and leading the legal strategy for the business,
assuring operational continuity, building relationships with regional
authorities, indigenous and non-indigenous communities.

Ignacio Mehech Castellon, aged 42, has held the following directorships and/or
partnerships in the past 5 years:

 Current        Past
 Cobreloa SADP  Fundacion Chilena Del Pacifico

                Club Sirio Unido

                UN Global Compact, Chilean Chapter

 

Mr Mehech currently holds no ordinary shares or other securities in the
Company.

There is no further information on Ignacio Mehech required to be disclosed
under Schedule Two, paragraph (g) (i)-(viii) of the AIM Rules for Companies.

*Statistic taken October 2024 – Albemarle is the world’s largest lithium
producer –
Mining.com https://www.mining.com/web/ranking-the-worlds-top-lithium-producers/
(https://www.mining.com/web/ranking-the-worlds-top-lithium-producers/)

The information communicated within this announcement is deemed to constitute
inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No
596/2014 which is part of UK law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal)
Act 2018. Upon publication of this announcement, this inside information is
now considered to be in the public domain. The person who arranged for the
release of this announcement on behalf of the Company was Gordon Stein,
Director and CFO.

 For further information contact:

 CleanTech Lithium PLC
 Steve Kesler/Gordon Stein/Nick Baxter          Jersey office: +44 (0) 1534 668 321

                                                Chile office: +562-32239222
                                                Or via Celicourt
 Celicourt Communications                       +44 (0) 20 7770 6424

 Felicity Winkles/Philip Dennis/Ali AlQahtani   cleantech@celicourt.uk (mailto:cleantech@celicourt.uk)
 Beaumont Cornish Limited (Nominated Adviser)   +44 (0) 20 7628 3396

 Roland Cornish/Asia Szusciak
 Fox-Davies Capital Limited (Joint Broker)      +44 (0) 20 3884 8450

 Daniel Fox-Davies                              daniel@fox-davies.com (mailto:daniel@fox-davies.com)
 Canaccord Genuity (Joint Broker)               +44 (0) 20 7523 4680

 James Asensio

 

Beaumont Cornish Limited ("Beaumont Cornish") is the Company's Nominated
Adviser and is authorised and regulated by the FCA. Beaumont Cornish's
responsibilities as the Company's Nominated Adviser, including a
responsibility to advise and guide the Company on its responsibilities under
the AIM Rules for Companies and AIM Rules for Nominated Advisers, are owed
solely to the London Stock Exchange. Beaumont Cornish is not acting for and
will not be responsible to any other persons for providing protections
afforded to customers of Beaumont Cornish nor for advising them in relation to
the proposed arrangements described in this announcement or any matter
referred to in it.

 

Notes

CleanTech Lithium (AIM:CTL, Frankfurt:T2N) is an exploration and development
company advancing lithium projects in Chile for the clean energy transition.
CleanTech Lithium has two key lithium projects in Chile, Laguna Verde and
Viento Andino, and exploration stage project in Arenas Blancas (Salar de
Atacama), located in the lithium triangle, a leading centre for battery grade
lithium production.

The two most advanced projects: Laguna Verde and Viento Andino are situated
within basins controlled by the Company, which affords significant potential
development and operational advantages. All three projects have good access to
existing infrastructure.

CleanTech Lithium is committed to utilising Direct Lithium Extraction ("DLE")
with reinjection of spent brine resulting in no aquifer depletion. Direct
Lithium Extraction is a transformative technology which removes lithium from
brine with higher recoveries, short development lead times and no extensive
evaporation pond construction. For more information, please
visit: www.ctlithium.com (http://www.ctlithium.com/)

**ENDS**

 

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