Team

The ERIG consulting approach requires a unique team which distinguishes itself by its dual expertise of solid industry experience and sound financial and analytical skills. All members of the analyst team have successful track records of between 20 and 30 years in the resources and investment industries.
In addition, the team comprises highly trained and experienced marketing and administration professionals, who provide back office support and support Universal-Investment in the development of new markets.
Joachim Berlenbach (PhD, MBA)
Joachim is an analyst and advisor for the Earth Gold Fund UI and the Earth Exploration Fund UI. In addition he is co-advisor for the Earth Energy Fund UI. He is a geologist by training and worked for 11 years in the South African gold mining industry prior to completion of 10 years experience in portfolio management and company analysis. Before launching the ERIG funds with Universal-Investment he has worked for Citibank (SSSB) and was rated best South African gold analyst (2001, 2002) and best global gold analyst by Merrill Lynch (2002). He has been in fund management and consulting since 2003. During his previous employments he has developed a substantial network in the South African and European mining and investment industries.
Jordaan Fouche (BSc Hons, MBA)
Jordaan is analyst for the Earth Energy Fund UI and advisor for the Earth Exploration Fund UI. He is a geologist and geophysicist by training and has 20 years experience in the international oil industry including management of exploration and production portfolios together with various joint ventures throughout the value chain. This enabled him to develop a large industry network in Africa, Europe, and the USA.
Georges Lequime (BSc (Eng) Mining)
Georges is an analyst and advisor for the Earth Gold Fund UI and the Earth Exploration Fund UI. He is a mining engineer by training and worked for 4 years for Anglo American in the South African gold and coal mining industry prior to completion of 4 years experience in portfolio management, successfully managing the Old Mutual Gold Fund, the largest gold fund in South Africa. He then spent 9 years in New York and London as a resource equity analyst, heading up HSBC Global Mining in 2002 before leaving to head up RBC Capital Market’s equity research in London. His experience has enabled him to develop a substantial network in Africa, Europe, and the USA.
Willem de Meyer (BSc Hons, MCom)
Willem is an analyst for the Earth Energy Fund UI. He is a geophysicist and petroleum economist by training and has 25 years experience in the international oil and gas industry. He has experience in managing technical and business development departments and served 8 years at executive management level. He specialized in the upstream sector of the industry and has a large network in the international oil industry. Willem also presents a training course on upstream petroleum economics. He is registered with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions.
Mark Smith (MSc, DIC, BSc (Hons))
Mark is an analyst for the Earth Exploration Fund UI. He is a geologist by training and worked for 4 years in Africa as a gold exploration geologist prior to completion of his Masters in mineral project appraisal from the Royal School of Mines. He then spent 9 years in London as a resource equity analyst, at RBC Capital Markets before leaving to head up the African mining research team at Renaissance Capital, then more recently to GMP Securities as a partner in London. His experience has enabled him to develop a substantial network in Africa, Europe, and North America.
Charles Fawcett (BEng (Mining), BCom (Finance))
Charles is an analyst for the Earth Gold Fund UI and the Earth Exploration Fund UI. He is a mining engineer and finance professional by training, with multi-discipline skills and an orientation towards commercial and project development aspects of the mining sector. He joined ERIG from Barrick Gold Corp where he spent 6 years initially supporting the Australian mining operations and then moved to Toronto to work on Barrick's development projects in North America, South America and Tanzania. Most recently, Charles was part of the project management team that successfully took the Pueblo Viejo Project from feasibility study through to construction.
Claudia Gmeiner (Diplom BWL (FH Regensburg, Germany), Diplom BWL (Bilbao, Spain))
Claudia is Chief Operating Officer and a marketing assistant for the Earth Resource Investment Group. She manages the back office at the headquarters in Zug, Switzerland and is responsible for research in the Spanish, Italian and French financial markets. During her international business studies in Spain and Germany she specialised in marketing and finance. After writing her thesis about a "Product Launch of Integrated and Intelligent Home Appliances" she focused her career on marketing and gained 3 years of working experience in product marketing with BSH Bosch and Siemens Home Appliances in Munich.
