In his private practice of law, Lord Daniel Brennan QC specialises in commercial law, international business issues, public and private international law, and international arbitration. During 1999, he was Chairman of the Bar of England and Wales, the organisation that represents over 10,000 practicing barristers—specialist advocates and advisers in litigation. In 2000, he was voted Barrister of the Year and the Queen, on the recommendation of the United Kingdom Government, appointed him a life peer and member of the House of Lords.

He is a Deputy High Court Judge and Crown Court Recorder, and a former member of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board. He has a high profile international and commercial practice that spans the globe. He also has an extensive international litigation and advisory practice involving bi-lateral investment treaty and commercial and energy work in South America and Asia.

Lord Brennan is currently the Bar representative on the Council of the International Bar Association. He is also a member of the London Court of International Arbitration and a member of the Arbitration Foundation of South Africa, as well as a member of its Appeals Panel. He is also on the panel of consultants to the World Bank for Latin America and South and East Asia.

Kermit Birchfield was admitted to the Federal District Court of New York and the Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit and the New York State Bar and the New York City Bar in 1972 and has over 35 years of experience in corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, corporate litigation and other corporate matters.

He spent the first 12 years of his career with two Wall Street law firms. For five years in the 1980s he held the position of Senior Vice President Legal and Governmental Affairs and General Counsel at Georgia-Pacific Corporation (at that time, a company listed on the New York Stock Exchange) and in the 1990s, he spent five years as Senior Vice President Legal, Secretary and General Counsel at M/A-Com, Inc. (also then listed on the New York Stock Exchange).

Since that time he has served on the boards of a number of US companies including HPSC Inc. (at that time, listed on the American Stock Exchange) and Dairy Mart Convenience Stores Inc. (also then listed on the American Stock Exchange). He is currently Chairman of Massachusetts Financial Services Compass Group of Mutual Funds, which manages approximately US$10 billion; Displaytech Inc.; SiteWatch Technologies LLC; and Dessin Fournir Companies.

Richard Battey is a Non-executive Director of a number of companies including closed end investment funds and a private equity administrator. After qualifying with Baker Sutton & Co. in London in 1977 he worked for the Schroder Group, initially in internal audit and as Financial Accountant for J. Henry Schroder Wagg & Co. Ltd and then in Schroder Investment Management in London until 1994.

Mr Battey was a Director of Schroders (C.I.) Limited in Guernsey from April 1994 to December 2004 where he served as Finance Director and Chief Operating Officer. He remains a Non-executive Director of Schroder Administrative Services (C.I.) Limited. From May 2005 to July 2006 he was Chief Financial Officer of CanArgo Energy Corporation and until end October 2006 as an adviser on the preparations for the spin-out of its subsidiary, Tethys Petroleum Limited. He is also a Director of the Investment Manager, Juridica Capital Management Limited.