Perth-based leaders of the Critical Minerals Platform strengthen CMI’s research, pricing and global supply chain expertise
TORONTO, ON – September 4, 2026 – The Critical Minerals Institute (CMI) today announced the appointment of Dr Mark Andrich and Dr Ria Kristiana to its Board of Directors. Based in Perth, Western Australia, Andrich and Kristiana lead the Critical Minerals Platform (CMP), CMI’s strategic market intelligence partner. Their appointments strengthen CMI’s research and analytical capabilities while expanding the Institute’s connection to one of the world’s most important centres for critical minerals development and expertise.
Dr Mark Andrich is Chief Executive Officer of the Critical Minerals Platform, an independent market intelligence platform providing pricing, forecasts, corporate intelligence and supply chain analysis across critical minerals markets worldwide. He holds a Ph.D. in engineering from The University of Western Australia, where his work focused on the sustainability of Western Australia’s energy, water and mineral resources. Earlier in his career, Andrich traded resource equities for a New York hedge fund and founded Sustainable Platform, which provides sustainability data to institutional investors.
Dr Ria Kristiana is Head of Research at the Critical Minerals Platform. She brings a strong background in sustainability assessment, environmental systems and water management, including peer-reviewed research through The University of Western Australia’s Centre for Water Research. Her appointment adds further depth to CMI’s work on quantitative research, data quality and the relationship between resources, environmental systems and long-term economic resilience.
“Mark and Ria have already become important contributors to the work we are building through CMI and the Critical Minerals Platform,” said Tracy Hughes, Executive Director of the Critical Minerals Institute. “Mark brings a rare combination of engineering, resource equities and entrepreneurial experience, while Ria brings the research discipline required to turn complex data into useful intelligence. Their appointments deepen our presence in Australia and strengthen the bridge we are building between companies, capital markets and policymakers in North America, Australia and beyond.”
CMI and CMP work together to connect strategic discussion with the market intelligence needed for commercial decision-making. Through the partnership, CMI Platinum members receive access to independent mineral pricing, market forecasts, corporate intelligence and global supply chain data. CMP’s proprietary research maps critical minerals activity from exploration and processing through to investment, trade and downstream manufacturing.
“CMI and CMP share the conviction that better critical minerals decisions require both trusted data and direct engagement across the value chain,” said Dr Mark Andrich, Chief Executive Officer of the Critical Minerals Platform. “Joining the CMI Board creates an opportunity to connect Australia’s technical and market expertise with an international network focused on practical outcomes. I look forward to helping move the discussion from broad policy objectives to informed commercial decisions.”
“The critical minerals sector needs research that can connect mineral availability, processing capacity, trade exposure and long-term sustainability,” said Dr Ria Kristiana, Head of Research at the Critical Minerals Platform. “CMI has built a forum where those perspectives can be tested and shared with decision-makers. I look forward to contributing to that work and strengthening the evidence base behind industry and policy decisions.”
Andrich will also participate as a speaker at CMI Summit 6, taking place May 17-18, 2027, at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto. Held under the theme Critical Minerals Diplomacy in a Fragmenting Global Economy, the two-day event will bring together government leaders, institutional investors, policymakers, technical experts and industry executives to examine supply chain security, industrial policy, financing, downstream processing, technological innovation and the commercial realities of building competitive critical minerals supply chains.
About the Critical Minerals Institute (CMI)
The Critical Minerals Institute (CMI) is a global think tank and central hub for the critical minerals ecosystem, connecting companies, capital markets and policymakers. Through its monthly CMI Masterclasses, the Critical Minerals Report (CMR) published every two weeks, the twice-monthly Critical Minerals Report Podcast, bespoke research and board-level advisory services, CMI delivers actionable intelligence spanning exploration finance, supply chains, industrial policy and geopolitics.
CMI tracks 12 leading national and multilateral critical minerals lists and applies a rigorous comparative process to independently select and maintain its proprietary CMI Watchlist of 24 critical minerals. Minerals are evaluated against one another based on strategic importance, supply chain concentration, geopolitical exposure, substitutability and relevance to defense, technology and economic security. Through its strategic partnership with the Critical Minerals Platform (CMP), CMI offers Platinum members access to independent mineral pricing, market forecasts, corporate intelligence and global supply chain data. Critical Minerals Institute (CMI)
CMI also organizes its flagship annual event, CMI Summit 6 — Critical Minerals Diplomacy in a Fragmenting Global Economy. Taking place May 17–18, 2027, at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto, Canada, the Summit brings together government leaders, institutional investors, policymakers, technical experts and industry executives from around the world to examine supply chain security, industrial policy, geopolitical developments, financing, downstream processing, technological innovation and the commercial realities shaping the global critical minerals economy.
For more information, visit CriticalMineralsInstitute.com.
About the Critical Minerals Platform (CMP)
The Critical Minerals Platform (CMP) is a market intelligence platform headquartered in Perth, Western Australia, the global epicentre of critical minerals expertise and innovation. CMP provides independent pricing, corporate intelligence and supply chain analysis across 67 critical minerals, more than 7,000 companies and over 100 countries. Designed for participants across the entire value chain, from mining and processing to trading, investment and downstream manufacturing, the platform integrates proprietary data, industry expertise and value chain analytics to support better decision-making in a rapidly shifting global market.
Media Contacts
Critical Minerals Institute
Tracy Hughes
Executive Director
+1 647 289 7714
[email protected]
Critical Minerals Platform
General Enquiries
+61 8 9386 9061
[email protected]
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