Mr Bywater, 58, is a director of GCM Resources plc and Coal of Africa Limited. He has had a distinguished career in the resources industry, developing and operating a total of 14 large-scale open pit mining operations. Before joining GCM in January 2006 he was Chief Operating Officer of Rio Tinto Coal Australia where he oversaw seven mining operations, producing 60 million tonnes of coal per year. He was previously General Manager Operations for Robe River Mining, General Manager Mine Operations for Rio Tinto's Hamersley Iron operations and General Manager at Mount Isa Mines in both Mining and Metallurgical Operations.

Mr Bywater has a BSc in Engineering Geology and Geotechnics from Portsmouth University and a MSc in Rock Mechanics and Excavation Engineering from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne University. He is a Fellow of both the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and the Australian Institute of Management.