Who we are
Shieldstone Resources is an Egypt-focused exploration company bringing together international technical expertise and deep local leadership to unlock the gold and copper potential of the Eastern Desert. Our founding team combines decades of experience in exploration, energy and company building across Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the Middle East, with strong roots in Egypt’s business and investment community.
Our strength lies in that combination. Our technical leaders have founded and built resource companies from inception, identifying overlooked geological opportunities in frontier jurisdictions and turning them into investor-ready ventures. Alongside them, our Egyptian leadership brings senior commercial experience, established relationships and a clear understanding of how to build lasting enterprises in Egypt. Together, we pair rigorous geological science with disciplined commercial execution, from early-stage targeting and licensing through to stakeholder engagement and capital raising.
With a record of founding new resource companies, taking ventures to market and building successful Egyptian businesses, Shieldstone Resources is well positioned to help deliver Egypt’s next generation of mineral discoveries. Our mission is simple: to create lasting value for Egypt, our partners and local communities through responsible exploration and sustainable resource development.
Board
Neil Young - Director
Mr. Young brings more than three decades of leadership experience across the upstream and downstream energy sectors, with particular strength in new ventures, business development, commercial negotiation and gas marketing. He has held senior roles with leading organisations in the UK and Australia, including EY, Tarong Energy and Santos.
In 2011, Mr. Young founded Golden Horde Ltd, which became ASX-listed Elixir Energy, and served as Managing Director for seven years, building the company from inception through significant growth in a frontier jurisdiction. He has also developed new energy ventures in Kazakhstan, Japan and the United States, giving him extensive experience in establishing companies, securing government approvals and raising capital in emerging markets.
Mr. Young is currently Chairman of Australian Carbon Vault, a South Australian carbon capture and storage company, and a Non-Executive Director of Asian Battery Metals.
Hossam Allam - Director
Mr. Allam is a seasoned executive, investor and company builder with deep roots in Egypt’s business community. Trained as a marine oceanographer at the University of Southampton and holding an MBA from London Business School, he began his career with ten years at Shell International, moving from environmental work into commercial roles structuring, negotiating and operationalising large natural gas sales between the Middle East and Far East. In 2010 he joined Hassan Allam Holding, one of Egypt’s leading conglomerates, where he established a facilities and asset management business and grew it to several thousand staff serving industrial, infrastructure, heritage, healthcare and commercial clients, including a 12-year operations contract for the Grand Egyptian Museum.
Hossam is the founder of Cairo Angels, Africa’s leading angel syndicate, and of the Climate Resilient Africa Fund, which invests in climate and nature-smart solutions to economic development across Africa. He has invested in almost 40 companies, built two ventures that returned 20x, and serves on numerous boards, including Hassan Allam Holding, a mineral exploration company and Education for Employment. With a career spanning energy, infrastructure and venture investment, Hossam brings senior commercial judgement, deep local networks and a track record of building enduring Egyptian enterprises.
Shaun Ramsden - Director
Mr. Ramsden is a multidisciplinary earth scientist and founding member of seven energy and resource startups, including two companies he personally established and led from inception that are currently based in New Zealand. His experience spans early-stage exploration, technical development, and strategic leadership. His work bridges frontier resource plays and commercial execution, covering coal seam gas (Mongolia), native hydrogen and helium (New Zealand, South Australia, Asia-Pacific, SE Asia), oil and gas (NW Shelf, Queensland), carbon capture and storage (South Australia), Ni-Cu-PGE systems and critical minerals (West Musgraves), and low-sulphidation epithermal gold (New Zealand).
Shaun is known for his ability to identify overlooked geological opportunities, build technical confidence around them, and convert those insights into investor-ready ventures. He has led teams through every phase—from geological analysis and regulatory approvals to tenement strategy, stakeholder negotiation, and capital raising. With a career grounded in both field science and business development, Shaun brings a unique combination of vision, technical depth, and executional drive to the evolving energy and resource landscape.
Management
Nick Tate - Chief Technical Officer
Mr. Tate is a highly experienced exploration geologist with more than 40 years in the resources industry, including over 35 years specialising in geological mapping, alteration systems, and mineral discovery. He is widely respected for his practical, field-based approach and deep expertise in porphyry copper-gold, epithermal gold-silver, and shear-zone mineral systems.
A true “boots on the ground” geologist, Mr. Tate has worked on exploration projects across Australia, PNG, Southeast Asia, Mongolia, the Americas, and Africa, contributing to multiple discoveries through mapping, drill targeting, geochemistry, and structural interpretation. His strengths lie in recognising mineralised systems in the field and translating observations into successful exploration programs.
Mr. Tate is also well known as an industry educator and mentor, having produced more than 100 instructional videos covering geological mapping, RC and diamond drilling, logging, and practical field techniques. His hands-on teaching style and commitment to sharing knowledge have made him a valued figure among both emerging and experienced geologists.
Mahmoud Awed - Country Manager
Mr. Awed is an experienced mining operations leader and drill-and-blast specialist with nearly two decades in the resources industry. His career spans mine operations, production delivery and blasting across five countries. He is currently associated with Faboula Gold SA in Mali and has held operational roles in Saudi Arabia, Tanzania and Burkina Faso. He studied mining engineering at Suez Canal University and holds specialist certifications in surface and underground explosives engineering.
His experience includes work connected with Sukari Gold Mine in Egypt, Geita Gold Mine in Tanzania and Houndé Gold Mine in Burkina Faso. His background also includes site management, drill-and-blast work and maintenance planning, giving him practical experience across several aspects of mine operations.
A hands-on operational leader, Mr. Awed focuses on translating production requirements into safe, efficient execution. His profile highlights experience helping mining operations meet demanding targets, work across five countries and a record of 10 million safe working hours.