Leadership – Nations Royalty

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TSX.V: NRC

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Our
Leadership Team

We strive to build Indigenous capacity in the capital markets and have created a majority Indigenous management team

Executive

Robert McLeod

CEO & Director

Born and raised in the mining town of Stewart, British Columbia, Mr. McLeod is a geologist, third-generation miner, and entrepreneur. With 30 years of diverse experience for major and junior mining Companies in a variety of metallogenic environments and mineral deposit types, primarily in BC, Alaska, Yukon, Nunavut, Ontario, and Nevada. As CEO and VP, Exploration, he has led many successful explorers and development companies such as IDM Mining and Underworld Resources.

Mr. McLeod is the lead technical advisor to the Fiore Group of Companies, Executive Chair of Blackwolf Copper and Gold, Director of Dolly Varden Silver, and Advisor to West Red Lake Gold Mines. An active mining industry volunteer, he is a past Chair of AMEBC and serves on the Board of the Britannia Mine Museum.

He is inspired by his father and former mayor of Stewart, Ian McLeod, who was a close ally of Nisga’a leadership on matters affecting the Pacific Northwest for many decades. As a mining union leader, Ian McLeod helped run election campaigns starting in 1949 for Dr. Frank Calder, the first indigenous person to serve Public Elected office for any provincial legislature in Canada, representing the Atlin riding which encompassed the Nass Valley and Stewart, serving until 1979. This spirit of working together helped inspire Mr. McLeod to work with citizens of the Nisga’a Nation to launch Nations Royalty.

Derrick Pattenden

Chief Investment Officer

Derrick Pattenden is an accomplished investment banker with 15 years of extensive experience in the mining industry specializing in finance, mergers and acquisitions. Throughout his career he has completed M&A transactions with a combined equity value of over C$20 billion. He has direct experience with transactions involving the creation of new mining royalties, and royalty companies, as well as the restructuring of existing metal streaming agreements.

He began his investment banking career in Vancouver in 2009 with Genuity Capital Markets. Prior to joining Nations Royalty, Mr. Pattenden was Director, Investment Banking, at Canaccord Genuity where he worked with TSX and TSX Venture listed companies and focused exclusively on the mineral exploration and mining industry.

He has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Mining Engineering from the University of British Columbia and holds a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.

Mr. Pattenden is a proud band member of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte. He has fond memories of visiting his grandparents where he spent his summers fishing on the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory reserve. As a youth, he was an accomplished athlete involved in both boxing and ice hockey. He resides in Vancouver, BC, and continues to enjoy an active lifestyle playing tennis, golf, and powerlifting.

Josh Kierce

cfo

Josh is a Chartered Professional Accountant with over seven years of experience in accounting and investment banking and holds a Bachelor of Technology in Accounting from the British Columbia Institute of Technology. Before joining Nations Royalty, he served as an Associate in Investment Banking at Stifel Nicolaus Canada, focusing exclusively on the mineral exploration and mining sectors.

His prior roles include Investment Banking Analyst at PI Financial; Chief Financial Officer of Lax Kw’alaams Fishing Enterprise and the Coast Tsimshian Fish Plant; Business Consultant at Fehr and Associates; and Senior Associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Josh is a proud Métis, originally from Prince Rupert, BC.

Kody Penner

VP, Corporate Development

Kody Penner is a mining professional with diverse experience in the mining industry and Indigenous space. He has helped create strategy and drive value for Indigenous Governments and business while building lasting, sustainable relationships. With experience working in junior and major mining companies, he brings a collaborative approach to decision making, aligning values of rights and stakeholders toward common goals. He advanced from an underground miner to a strategy role at Canada’s largest diversified miner. He is also Vice-Chair of the Tahltan Nation Development Corporation, where he has helped lead the company through major strategic and operational changes by enhancing governance and management structures.

Prior to Nations, Kody worked as Lead, Business Planning at Teck Resources Limited’s (“Teck”) Copper Growth group where he advanced Teck’s development assets through effective business planning, efficient capital allocation, and strong governance frameworks. Before Teck, he worked as a Mining Analyst for Agentis Capital, in Investor Relations with Skeena Resources Ltd. and as Employment Director for the Tahltan Central Government. Kody holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) from the University of British Columbia.

Growing up in the mining industry, Kody worked at Imperial Metal’s Ruddock Creek exploration camp and as an underground miner at Newmont’s Brucejack mine. He is passionate about responsible resource development that benefits communities and shareholders, helping Indigenous groups work toward self-sufficiency while providing the world with much-needed minerals.

Sam Brezden

External Relations Manager

Sam Brezden, of Métis and Cree descent, is a communications and external relations professional with over a decade of experience in the construction industry. Passionate about guiding organizations through Indigenous Reconciliation, Sam works to create meaningful strategies that align corporate goals with community values.

With a strong background in Indigenous engagement, Sam has facilitated discussions between communities, industry, and government to address barriers to economic participation and shape inclusive policies. As a founder of a network supporting Indigenous women entrepreneurs across Canada, Sam has also championed collaboration and growth, empowering underrepresented voices across industries.

Prior to her work in communications and community engagement, Sam was a financial advisor, specializing in mutual funds, life insurance, and long-term financial planning. This experience provided a deep understanding of economic frameworks, wealth-building strategies, and investment structures, which she now applies to her work in Indigenous economic development and reconciliation initiatives.

As a leader in community engagement, Sam has directed workshops to help organizations develop frameworks for trust and accountability while expanding business development in Indigenous sectors. Known for her innovative approach and dedication to authentic storytelling, Sam builds sustainable partnerships that drive lasting impact.

Stephanie Azak

CORPORATE SECRETARY

Bio coming soon

Board of Directors

Indigenous wealth in Indigenous hands. Our Board of Directors is majority Indigenous and as diverse as our cultures are.

Alex Morrison

Alex Morrison is a professional director and experienced mining executive with over 35 years experience in the mining industry. He has vast multidisciplinary experience in senior strategic roles in finance, accounting, information technology, supply chain, risk management and operations support at major mining companies including Newmont Mining, Homestake Mining, Phelps Dodge and Stillwater Mining. His most relevant experience to his role as a Director at Nations Royalty is his former role as Chief Financial Officer at Franco Nevada, a leading international gold royalty company. He has held diverse corporate director, chairman and lead director roles for a broad list of mining companies including Detour Gold, Taseko Mines, Energy Fuels, Gold Standard Ventures and Gold Resource Corporation. He is a chartered professional accountant (CPA, CA).

Edward Clayton

Edward Clayton proudly identifies as Nisga’a, with Nisga’a and Tsimshian ancestry in his immediate family. He has a diverse background working in administration, corporate finance and economic development both in the Nass Valley and in external First Nations organizations. Mr. Clayton has experience working as a Corporate Controller and Chief Financial Officer with various companies across multiple industries. He is an Independent Director of Nisga’a Growth Corporation where he has been pivotal in the establishment of financial controls and governance.

Saga Williams

Saga Williams, LL.B. is the principal and owner of AS Williams Consulting. She is a band member and resident of Curve Lake First Nation. Through her maternal relations, she is also a member of the Namekosipiing Anishinabeg located in Treaty #3 area. After graduating with an Indigenous Studies (Hons.) degree from Trent University and a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School, she was called to the Ontario Bar in 2000.

With over 20 years of experience, Ms. Williams has been involved in the successful implementation of a number of high-profile initiatives, including energy, mining, economic and policy development projects and land claims settlements.

Ms. Williams was an elected Councillor for her community and served a three-year term, holding three portfolios and chaired a number of community-based committees. Over her years working with First Nations governments, and holding a leadership position, Ms. Williams has gained an expertise in governance structures, policies and processes. She also teaches as an Osgoode Hall Law School Adjunct Professor, introducing first year law students to issues of Indigenous rights and reconciliation, coaches students who are participating in the national Indigenous law moot and was the Chair of a National, non-profit youth services board.

Recently, Ms. Williams has joined the First Nations Major Project Coalition Team and is supporting membership outreach in central and eastern Canada, as well as advising on First Nations involvement in the critical mineral and energy sectors. She is also a Director of Fury Gold Mines, Volta Metals Ltd. and NiCAN Ltd.

Advisors

Frank Giustra

Shawn Khunkhun

Ryan Weymark

Gord Keep

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Corporate Office

Suite 3123, 595 Burrard Street, Vancouver, British Columbia
V7X 1J1, Canada

Contact

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Our Leadership Team