Hannam back on front foot with Afghan mining venture
TOP city dealmaker Ian Hannam is pushing ahead with a gold mining project in Afghanistan just months after leaving his post at JP Morgan Cazenove.
Hannam, famed in the Square Mile for his deal making skills, will switch his focus to mining company Centar, the firm he established to mine the Qara Zaghan gold mine in Afghanistan, following his exit from the investment bank.
Bermondsey-born Hannam has teamed up with Richard Williams, a former Special Air Service commander, to push Centar’s mining division, Afghan Gold & Minerals, into production. Hannam announced he was stepping down from JP Morgan in April to fight a £450,000 fine levied by the Financial Services Authority for alleged market abuse. Last week it was announced he would acquire the Russian assets of Fleming Family & Partners, alongside Mark Garber who worked with Hannam at JP’s capital markets desk. Hannam is also thought to be stepping into a directorship role at German commodity house Tantalus Rare Earths.