Chris Ellison
Managing Director & Founder, Mineral Resources
Chris Ellison is a New Zealand-born entrepreneur who is the founder and Managing Director of Mineral Resources (MinRes), the ASX-listed Australian mining and mining services company with lithium and iron ore operations. He established the company in 2006 through the merger of three mining services firms and remains its long-serving Managing Director.
Fast facts
| Role | Managing Director & Founder |
|---|---|
| Company | Mineral Resources ASX:MIN |
| Sector | Mining / Materials |
| Headquarters | WA |
| In role since | 2006 |
| Education | Attended Otago Boys' High School in New Zealand, leaving school in 1972 at age 15. |
Background
Founder and Managing Director; MinRes scrapped a planned succession in 2026, with Ellison remaining in the role after governance scrutiny; company operates iron ore, lithium and mining services.
Career timeline
- 1979Founded rigging firm Karratha Rigging in Western Australia
- 1992Founded pipeline contractor PIHA
- 2006Co-founded Mineral Resources through a merger of PIHA, Crushing Services International and Process Minerals International, floating on the ASX
Notable
- Founded Mineral Resources, which listed on the ASX in 2006 at 90 cents per share
- Appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours for services to New Zealand-Australia relations
- Served as New Zealand's honorary consul in Western Australia from 2013
- Earlier led Monadelphous Group as managing director, taking it out of receivership in the late 1980s
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Mineral Resources?
Chris Ellison co-founded Mineral Resources in 2006 through the merger of three mining services firms and remains its Managing Director.
Where is Chris Ellison from?
He is a New Zealand-born entrepreneur who grew up near Dunedin and later built his career in Western Australia.
Public profiles
Sources
- https://www.mining.com/minres-walks-back-ellison-exit-plan/
- https://discoveryalert.com.au/mineral-resources-ceo-uncertainty-governance-onslow-iron-2026/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Ellison_(businessman)
- https://www.mineralresources.com.au/about-us/leadership/chris-ellison/
Last verified 2026-07-13. Professionally-public, sourced information only.