Meet the C3 Funds Team | Expertise in Gold Mining and Investment Strategy

OUR TEAM

A Blend of Experience and Innovation

C3 BULLION TEAM

At the helm of C3 Bullion is a diverse team of experts, including seasoned mining executives, financial innovators, and digital asset specialists. Our leadership includes a team of specialized professionals, each contributing decades of experience in their respective fields.

Meet The Executive Team

Christopher Werner

Founder and CEO

Mr. Werner is the Past CEO of Ascendant Holdings Ltd., which completed two separate IPOs on the TSX for Canadian mineral exploration companies. He was also the Founder and CEO of River Hills Resources which joint ventured with a Chinese State-Owned company to develop three mining projects in Ecuador. Mr. Werner Co-Founded and was CEO of Gorgona Gold S.A.C. which is a Peruvian-based exploration company with five mining projects comprising 10 concessions covering over 10,000 hectares and was Co-Founder and CEO of Pangea Resources S.A. which is a Nicaraguan based mining company. Chris founded C3 Bullion in January of 2020 to operate as an alternative mine finance company with a focus on financing early-stage production opportunities.

Manuel Olivares

Chief Economist

Manuel Olivares is an expert on Financial risk with specific experience in Credit, Market, and Operational risk gained through over a decade of professional engagements with banking institutions (Lloyds Banking Group), rating agencies (Moody’s), auditor firms (EY), and the British financial regulator (FSA). He is also an experienced Economist, having developed for different employers models used for scenario analysis, stress testing, and to identify sovereign risks. His professional experience includes a sound knowledge of the business environments and financial regulations across different geographies, based on his fieldwork experience in EMEA, LATAM, and North America. He still maintains active links with academia after holding positions as an academic at the University of Manchester and the University of Wales, he actively collaborates in researching with academics and participates in conducting seminars in different Universities. His formal academic qualifications include a Ph.D. in applied finance, an M.A. in Economics, an MBA with specialization in Finance, and a BSc in Business Management and Economic Sciences, in addition to specialization courses in MIT, Thunderbird University, and BBA (British Banking Association).

Martin Gallon

Chief Operations Officer

Mr. Gallon is a registered professional mining executive with over 45 years of experience in all phases of exploration and mining, both open pit and underground, from grassroots exploration through feasibility studies, mine development & construction, to process plant design and operational mine management. He developed, supervised, and authored feasibility and EPCM proposals for major engineering and construction groups and held progressively senior positions including VP of Exploration, President, COO, and CEO. Martin was the managing director of SNC Lavalin and former Senior VP of exploration for Rio Tinto. More recently, Mr. Gallon focused on project evaluation, financing, development, construction, and advancing a number of projects from grassroots to production in North, Central, and South America where he was responsible for two major exploration discoveries and designed, built, and operated three gold mines.

Jim Elgart

Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Elgart founded MarathonCFO, an outsourced accounting and fractional CFO firm based in Boston. Jim has 25+ years of experience as a financial professional during which he has helped many companies scale and grow their financial infrastructure and design and execute a financial strategy. Jim has been the "point" on multiple funding and liquidity transactions, most recently as the CFO of CompleteCase.com which was sold to a private equity firm in 2021. Before joining C3, Jim has been a co-founder or partner in at least six different businesses including the biotech firm Asischem and the fintech company check-print.com. Additionally, Jim has helped establish the financial infrastructure for several private funds, including a fund organized to make hard money loans to contractors and developers, Crowdlending.com.

Luciano Duque

Chief Investment Officer & Founder

Seasoned global business executive and entrepreneur, with 20+ years of experience in the US and international business in a wide range of industries, with a strong focus on Capital Markets and Fintech. Extensive experience in business startups in North, Central, and South America, including the startup/structuring of a US Broker-Dealer. Track record on Investment Banking in LatAm for deal origination, negotiation, structuring, and Placement. Former International Client Advisor for Morgan Stanley. Experience structuring investment funds. Extensive US and International Broker-Dealer, family/multifamily office, and fund allocators network. Knowledge and experience in digital assets, asset tokenization, and secondary trading of securities (ATS). Mechanical Engineer. FINRA licenses: Investment Banking (79), Investment Advisory (66), Securities Broker (7), Commodities broker (3), and Securities Principal (24).

Mining Operational Team

Martin Gallon

Chief Mining Officer

Registered professional mining executive with over 45 years of experience in all phases of exploration and mining, open pit and underground, from grassroots exploration through feasibility studies, mine development & construction to process plant design and operational mine management. Developed, supervised, and authored feasibility and EPCM proposals for major engineering and construction groups. Former managing director of SNC Lavalin and former Senior VP of exploration for Rio Tinto. Project evaluation, financing, development, and construction on several projects from grassroots to production in North, Central, and South America, where he was responsible for two major exploration discoveries and designed, built, and operated three gold mines

Greg Mosher

Consulting Geologist

Greg is a geologist with strong skills in mineral resource estimation and due diligence assessment of mineral exploration and mining properties, project management of geology and resource estimation studies, and exploration program design and management. Greg is a Qualified Person for NI 43-101 and JORC technical reporting on many mineral deposit types and mineral resource estimation. He has more than 40 years of geology experience with project locations across North and South America, Asia, Greenland, North Africa, and Europe. Consulting contracts have included technical evaluations of mining operations and mineral properties, mineral resource estimations, and design and management of geological exploration programs including mapping, geochemical and geophysical surveying, and diamond drilling.

John Bolaños

Geology and Resources Director

Mr. Bolanos has a Master’s Degree (M.Sc.) in Mining Geology from the Camborne School of Mines (M.C.S.M.) of the University of Exeter (the U.K., 1995); P. Eng. Geology graduate from the Central University of Ecuador (Honors Degree - Gold Medal Best Student, 1992); Registered Member (Qualified Person) of the Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration of the USA (SME), Member of the Society of Economic Geologists (SEG), Fellow of the Geological Society and has 21 years’ experience in geology, mining exploration, mining evaluation, development and administration of mining properties in the roles of Consulting Geologist, Exploration Manager, General Manager, Vice-president of Exploration for mining companies in North, Central, and South America. John is a mining professional guiding key participants in numerous mineral projects that were funded via public transactions. Mr. Bolanos is a "Qualified Person" as defined under National Instruments 43-101 and is also one of three South American geologists who are members of the Society of Mining Engineers.

Julian Rosero

Consulting Geologist

Former Minister of Mines of Ecuador. Managed on behalf of Ecuador the foreign exploration missions conducted by French, British, Japanese, and Chinese from 1970-2010. Held the position of In-Country General Manager for numerous public and private mining companies, both exploration and production. Central University of Ecuador professor of geology for 34 years. Mr. Rosero graduated as an Engineer in Mines in 1973 and attained a Post Degree in Mines Geology from the University of Leicester, England 1976. He has served as a field geologist in exploration geochemistry and mapping in the Ecuadorian Geological Survey since November 1972, was a Mineralogy Teacher in the Faculty of GMYP of the Central University of Ecuador from 1971 until October 1985, Mineral Exploration from November 1985 until 2001, Director of the Ecuadorian Geological Survey from January to October of 2003 and Vice Minister of Mines from 2004 to 2005.

Oliver Stark

Corporate Development - Latam

Based in Lima, Peru, he is A Tri-lingual executive with more than 35 years of managerial experience as country head, general and commercial manager in leading local and multinational organizations, active in the mining sector with a solid trading base. Highly experienced in business development, international trade, and contract negotiations. Mr. Stark´s experience in the mining sector encompasses managing director positions in mining financial institutions, equipment manufacturers and distributors, refining, metals trading, exploration, and production of gold and copper companies including Austria Duvaz, a 100+-year-old continuous mining company.

Mine+ Group Team

CEO

Tony Maragakis

Tony has a track record of delivering megaprojects at Barrick, Freeport, Koch and Eldorado. He has been successful as an executive and director leading both private and public junior mining companies.

Geologist / Geometallurgist

Nikos N.

Nikos is a Ph.D. Geologist / Geometallurgist with 10+ years’ experience leading technical services as a mine, exploration, and project geologist.

Mining & Metallurgical Engineering

Dimitris M.

Dimitris is a mining and metallurgical engineer with 15+ years of project and operations experience internationally having developed projects and serving as UG operations manager.

Chemical Engineering

Kostas M.

Kostas is a chemical engineer with 20+ years of operations and project experience working with Eldorado Gold, TVX, and most recently as Olympias Process Plant Manager.

Mining Engineering

Fotis D.

Fotis is a mining engineer with 10+ years’ of experience in underground short and long-term mine planning and engineering.

Mining & Metallurgical Engineering

Josephine P.

Josephine is a mining & metallurgical engineer with 10+ years of operations and project experience working with Barrick, Freeport, Imerys, and more.

Project Management

Roza L.

Roza is a civil engineer with +20 years of experience in project management, scheduling, contracts, and all aspects of project controls. She has worked for Jacobs & Dragados on mega projects.

Mining Underwriting / Financial / Auditing Team

Controller and Assurance Director

Judith Doens

She is a financier and economist with more than 20 years of experience in consulting and consulting in Mexico and Latin America. She is the founder and project director at Ávila & Doens Consultores. Judith has extensive experience in business management, collaborating with companies to achieve their strategic objectives through resource optimization. She has worked with companies in the Oil and Gas sector, Construction, Education, and Financial sectors, among others, in the execution of processes, strategic plans, action plans, and audits.

Technical Audit Manager

Emilio Doens

Emilio Doens is a mining engineer with a postgraduate degree in geothermal technology, specializing in geophysics and geology from the Geothermal Institute at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. He brings extensive experience in formulating, planning, and managing projects across the geotechnical, energy, and environmental sectors. His expertise includes carbon credit initiatives, GHG inventory and water footprint preparation, as well as auditing these processes. Emilio is also a highly regarded mining consultant and auditor.

Audit Manager

Karla Paola Jaen Doens

Karla has extensive experience in designing, documenting, and improving processes within the oil and gas industry, as well as in logistics for the transportation sector. Her core expertise lies in geomorphology, applied geophysics, and topography.

Underwriting Director

Francisco Piera

Francisco is a successful entrepreneur known for connecting the United States and Latin America. He began in real estate and then specialized in finance at Louisiana State University. He built a notable career across the Americas with a strong foundation from his family’s construction and development legacy. In 2009, he founded Alpha Lending & Investments, a top international lending/advisory firm based in the U.S. His leadership has made Alpha Lending a leader in private investment banking, commercial underwriting, real estate financing, and secure investments. Francisco’s expertise in underwriting helps him accurately manage risks in complex financial deals. Fluent in English and Spanish, Francisco is skilled in global finance. His mission is to empower clients, investors, and partners with tailored financing solutions built on trust and a deep understanding of their needs.

Technical Audit Manager

Alejandro Soriano Avila

Alejandro is a construction engineer with a specialization in applied costs. His professional experience spans various areas, including unit price analysis, work programming and control, budget preparation, project estimates, process design and documentation, and financial analysis of projects.

Audit Senior Manager

Juan Manuel Avila Garcia

Juan Manuel is a founding partner of Avila Doens Consultores and a business administrator with a master’s degree in financial economic engineering. As a specialist in costs and financial analysis, he excels in consulting on processes, strategies, and cost structure improvements. He has advised numerous entrepreneurs and companies, dedicating his expertise to enhancing profitability and operational efficiency.

Audit Manager

Jose Alberto Padilla Raven

José is a seasoned financier and accountant with a strong focus on risk-based audits. He brings extensive expertise in analyzing, preparing, and refining financial statements, as well as generating insightful business diagnoses. With over a decade of experience in both internal and external audit processes, José has established himself as a highly skilled and reliable auditor.

Business Development Team

Business Development Director

Michael Sanborn

Michael Sanborn brings over 20 years of expertise in wealth management, corporate finance, and investor relations. Starting his career at RBC Wealth Management, he built a $60M client portfolio in just 16 months. During the 2008 financial crisis, he transitioned to TD Wealth, achieving an impressive 85% client retention rate. At Scotia Wealth, Michael led a team of three, expanding his services to include options trading, insurance, estate planning, and financial planning. He holds all relevant Canadian securities licenses, including IIROC certifications for estate planning, options trading, and financial advisory. Michael also developed a network of top-tier partners, providing clients with comprehensive services such as tax planning, small business consulting, and legal advice. Known for his hands-on approach, Michael traveled extensively to meet clients on-site, gaining a deep understanding of their businesses and families. In 2020, Michael sold his practice to explore new opportunities. He spent time in The Hague with the Dutch consultancy World of Minds, driving change management and efficiency initiatives for global clients like Royal Dutch Shell. Upon returning to Calgary in 2022, he joined Element79 Gold Corp, enhancing investor and financial professional relations. Now a key member of the C3 Bullion team, Michael brings his financial acumen to champion C3’s innovative fund, offering a unique alternative to traditional precious metal investments.

US Business Development

Brian Mangas

With 40 years of business development and startup experience, Brian Mangas has vast knowledge in commodities, mining, data centers, hospitality, healthcare coding, energy technology, banking, AI and aerospace industries. This level of experience likely gives him deep insights into marketing trends and consumer behavior, making him a valuable asset in any business setting. His expertise and strategic planning, combined with his start up specialization, positions him well to navigate the complexities of launching new ventures and driving growth. Additionally, Brian is an artist that has developed award winning restaurants, microbreweries, and motion pictures as an executive producing filmmaker, suggesting he brings a creative approach to his work, which can be a significant advantage in developing innovative strategies. If you'd like to know more about his specific achievements or contributions over these 40 years, please inquire. Carpe Diem!

Europe Business Development

Josse Lubberts

Josse Lubberts brings extensive experience in sales and client relations to C3 Fund, combining data-driven decision-making with a people-focused approach. His expertise lies in guiding clients toward investment opportunities that are secure, high-yield, and tailored to their individual goals. Dedicated to empowering clients to grow and protect their wealth, Josse’s approach aligns seamlessly with C3 Fund’s mission of delivering reliable and impactful innovative financial solutions.

Institutional Business Development

Carlos Vidal Soria

Advisor and international banker, 25+ years of experience in Investment Banking and Capital Markets, International Finance: designing/managing investment portfolios; advising companies, governments and investors (debt restructuring, commodities trading & hedging, investment management and financial risk management); structuring public and private debt; and financing of investment and COMEX projects in Latam, Europe and MENA. Strong skills and proven track record providing advice to boutique investment banking firms, family offices, broker-dealers, governments, investment funds, hedge funds, and corporate law firms concerning: Global Macro Strategy, debt restructuring, alternative Investments, etc. MBA, BSc in Economics, post degrees in Risk Management and International Finance.

US Business Development

Jordan Gitterman

Mr. Gitterman has over 30 years of business management and finance experience. For over 15 years he has been a principal, held financial and senior management roles in natural resource companies that produced and sold oil and gas, base, semi-precious and precious metals. In Chile he founded Latin American Mining and produced copper and gold. He was a principal and of two independent oil and gas oil exploration companies that drilled and produced in Wyoming, Kansas, and Colorado. Mr. Gitterman worked with a publicly traded company to develop an iron ore production, export, and trading business in Mexico. Mr. Gitterman is a Founder of Item Banc a technology company focused on tokenizing businesses inventories. The company is developing a first of its kind global parity valuation engine utilizing artificial intelligence to gather and analyze data to derive more accurate relative valuations. Jordan Gitterman is a member of the advisory board of the United Africa Blockchain Association.

Family Offices Business Development

Christopher Werner Jr.

Mexico Business Development

Elizabeth León

La ingeniero Elizabeth León estudió Ingeniería industrial en la Universidad La Salle CDMX, gerente de LBW en asesoría y capacitacion en Economía digital, liderazgo y educación financiera para empresas. Becada por Alemania en Manager Training Programme, Programa Fit for Partnership with Germany. A nombre de la Unidad de Desarrollo Productivo (UDP) de la Secretaría de Economía, y el Ministerio Federal de Economía y Energía de la República Federal de Alemania (BMWI). Directora de Centro Evaluador certificado ante CONOCER, para el desarrollo de habilidades laborales, a través, de estandares de competencias. Seleccionada para formar parte de AWE México primera generación Academia de Mujeres Empresarias y Emprendedoras liderada por la Casa Blanca patrocinado por el departamento de Estado de los Estados Unidos de América e implementada por la Incubadora de Empresas de alto impacto FUMEC

Marketing Team

PR Director

Samuel Amsterdam

Samuel ‘Sam’ Amsterdam is an advanced advocacy and strategic marketing and media engagement professional, with commercial and political counsel experience in major global hubs including London, Brussels, Johannesburg, Lagos, New York City, Toronto and Washington, D.C. In representing core clients seeking to expand access and/or positioning within European Parliament while based in Brussels, Mr. Amsterdam coordinated milestone engagements in the sectors of Public Affairs, Healthcare and Technology, alongside elite E.U. MEPs, honored foreign delegates and international journalists. From Washington D.C., London and Johannesburg, Mr. Amsterdam has managed the day-to-day public relations operations of international social enterprises such as the Arcadia Foundation, Opportunity International and 1MinutetoSavetheWorld. Concurrently, Mr. Amsterdam served as both New Media Counsel and as a Director of Public Outreach for Bahrain’s National Dialogue, accredited think tanks such as the Washington Institute for Business, Government and Society (WIBGS), a myriad of government relations consultancies based in Europe and Eurasia and on behalf of governments such as the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and governing political parties including however not limited to the Georgia Free-Democrats, ‘Georgian Dream’ Movement, Nigeria’s All Progressives Congress (APC) and Zimbabwe’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T). Similar services have been rendered on behalf of cutting-edge finance and Web 3.0 technology-driven institutions such as the Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD Bank), Finclusion Group, EonXi, Paycasso and Contec Global Group. Mr. Amsterdam has also notably advocated on behalf of World Bank Director for Fragility, Conflict, and Violence, the Honorable Betty Bigombe, in her role as global humanitarian and in support of her former position within Ugandan Parliament. Mr. Amsterdam graduated with a degree in Public Affairs and Policy from Ottawa, Canada’s Carleton University.

Art Director

Fernando Escobar

With over 15 years of experience, Fernando has helped startups and business owners elevate their brand presence through creative graphic design and user-friendly digital products. He has worked with top U.S. digital agencies and, for the past eight years, has specialized in B2B, B2B2C, and SaaS companies within the tech industry.

Marketing Director

Brennan Burks

Brennan Burks is a strategic communications leader with more than a decade of experience leading marketing and PR across the public and private sector. He has lead creative and tactical communications teams as well as served as a trusted executive advisor for government and higher education institutions, global manufacturing companies, financial technology organizations, and biotech startups. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Indiana University and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Dayton.

Artificial Intelligence Specialist

Robert Belanger

With over 20 years of expertise in development and analytics, Robert brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the digital landscape. Specializing in website development and search engine optimization (SEO) for more than a decade, Robert has helped businesses establish and grow their online presence with cutting-edge strategies and solutions. In addition to his technical skills, Robert has over 15 years of experience in financial analytics, providing data-driven insights that drive smarter decision-making and measurable results. His unique combination of technical and financial expertise makes him a trusted partner for businesses looking to optimize performance, enhance visibility, and achieve sustainable growth in today's competitive market.

Brand Manager

Claudia Schuman

As the Brand Manager of C3 Bullion, Claudia Schumann brings a unique blend of creativity and strategic vision to the forefront of the precious metals market. With a robust background in brand creation, online marketing, and design, she has a proven track record of elevating brand presence and engagement. Claudia's expertise also extends to the film industry, where she has showcased her skills as a producer making a name in special effects and animation for some famous international films. In addition to her role at C3 Bullion, Claudia is the CEO of Hermitage Spirit, further demonstrating her entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to excellence. Based in Panama, she navigates the dynamic landscape of branding and marketing with a fresh perspective, driving C3 Bullion's mission to redefine the value of this innovative new gold investment model.

Backoffice Team

Backoffice Support

Gaby Herrera

Gaby Herrera is an experienced Support Specialist with a focus on customer success, investor relations, and back-office operations. At C3 Bullion, she plays a key role in ensuring clients and partners have a seamless experience, managing onboarding processes, addressing inquiries, and maintaining efficient back-office support. Known for her organizational skills and attention to detail, Gaby is committed to fostering strong relationships and ensuring operational excellence in every interaction.

IT Team

IT - Salesforce

Apolinar Amaro Viera

Apolinar Amaro Viera is a skilled Salesforce Consultant at C3 Bullion, specializing in business analysis, project management, and implementing Salesforce solutions tailored to the mining industry. With expertise in Sales, Service, Account Engagement, and the Einstein platform, he helps clients streamline operations and unlock data-driven insights. At C3 Bullion, Apolinar leverages his deep understanding of Salesforce to enhance customer engagement and drive digital transformation for precious metals mining businesses. His innovative solutions and results-oriented approach ensure clients achieve sustainable growth and operational excellence.

IT - Salesforce

Jean Carlos Sanchez

Jean Carlos Sanchez is a seasoned Salesforce Consultant at C3 Bullion, specializing in managing Salesforce Org and Account Engagement platforms. Leveraging his expertise in CRM optimization and digital strategies, Jean Carlos collaborates with the marketing and sales teams to streamline workflows, enhance customer engagement, and implement effective change management solutions tailored to the organization’s goals. Known for his results-driven mindset and innovative approach, Jean Carlos combines technical proficiency with strategic insights to deliver measurable business outcomes. His commitment to excellence ensures that C3 Bullion stays ahead in the competitive financial services landscape, fostering growth and operational success.