Neil Hill Global Strategies, in affiliation with the Transnational Strategy Group, assists Canadian and Australian critical minerals developers to access U.S. funding, enter the American and allied supply chain, and to secure global partnerships. We also help navigate the U.S. Defense Production Act (DPA) and U.S. federal programs and connect Canadian and Australian companies with Japanese and European stakeholders for capital financing or advanced technology for next-generation mining. We build and leverage key relationships in Washington, Brussels, and Tokyo.

  • U.S. Defense Production Act (DPA): Leverages Canada and Australia’s official designation as a domestic source to qualify developers for U.S. financial assistance, including grants, loans, and loan guarantees.
  • Specialized Federal Financing: Unlocks opportunities within the Energy Act of 2020 pilot grants, EXIM Bank’s Supply Chain Resiliency Initiative (SCRI), and public-private structures like Project Vault’s Strategic Critical Minerals Reserve.
  • The One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB): Positions Canadian and Australian companies to capitalize on the July 4, 2025, landmark legislation allocating $7.5 billion to the Department of War, $1 billion for Energy Dominance Financing, and $1 billion for DPA defense applications.

Key Deliverables

  • Vendor Qualification: Coordinates with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to qualify firms as sector vendors, allowing them to compete for tenders to sell to official U.S. reserves.
  • Application Advancement: Provides hands-on support to shape, draft, and advance competitive federal applications without requiring mandatory administration equity stakes.

Global Strategic Partnerships: Japan & Europe

Neil Hill Global Strategies, in affiliation with the Transnational Strategy Group, connects Canadian and Australian projects directly to the capital, technology, and policy ecosystems of Japan and Europe.

  • Institutional Access: Leverages deep ties with Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security, European industrial policy bodies, and strategic raw materials initiatives.
  • Capital Networks: Provides direct access to Japanese trading houses, European export credit agencies, and institutional financiers.
  • Industrial Leaders: Connects developers to automated mining giants and technology innovators across Europe, the United Kingdom and Japan.
  • Supply Chain Integration: Positions Canadian and Australian resources to meet high demand in overseas microelectronics, semiconductors, EV batteries, and automotive manufacturing while securing global resilience goals.

Key Deliverables

  • Targeted Engagement: Coordinates curated investor outreach and direct engagement programs with international automation leaders and capital providers.
  • Financing & Offtakes: Secures long-term capital, institutional backing, and formal offtake agreements for Canadian and Australian developers.
  • ESG & Investor Narratives: Crafts investor-ready materials tailored to Europe’s strict decarbonization priorities and global sustainability standards.
  • Technology Transfer: Provides direct access to advanced robotics, next-generation mining automation, and international innovation.
  • Strategic Relations: Delivers targeted government relations and policy alignment across transpacific and transatlantic jurisdictions.

Team:

Jonathan S. Hale, Neil Hill Global Managing Member; TSG Senior Advisor: Mr. Hale led legislative efforts on the US Senate Commerce Committee to mitigate supply chain vulnerabilities. He previously helped lead supply chain diplomacy at the U.S. Department of State, organized the first-ever U.S.-led Supply Chain Ministerial in which Canada and Australia and Quebecois stakeholders participated, and worked on the White House Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force to address acute supply-chain shortages.

Matthew McManus, TSG’s Senior Advisor for Energy, Critical Minerals and Cross-Border Energy Trade Regulation: Mr. McManusworked on international energy and economic issues at the U.S. State Department for more than three decades. He managed the State Department Presidential Permitting function for cross-border oil pipelines from Canada to the U.S. and engaged frequently in Ottawa and several provincial capitals.  He also served as the co-chair of the Market Impact Committee of the National Defense Stockpile, advising on international market impacts of purchases and dispositions of strategic commodities.

Brian DaRin, TSG’s Senior Advisor for Energy, Infrastructure and Critical Minerals: Mr. DaRin has decades of experience at the U.S. State Department. He also worked on critical materials issues at the National Security Council and served as Co-Chair of the Defense Logistic Agency’s Strategic Materials Committee. He also worked with Canadian miners in Mongolia in the 1990s.

Carson Wynne, TSG’s Calgary-resident Senior Advisor: Mr. Wynnehas extensive experience advising on major Canadian resource development financing. He is currently working closely with senior Government of Canada officials on matters of national defense, US-Canada and Australia trade and national energy initiatives.

Marc Fuoti, TSG’s Senior Advisor for Japan: Mr. Fuoti has over 35 years of experience operating businesses in a multicultural environment in Japan including prior positions as a Senior Vice President at McCann-Erickson and 20th Century Fox. Marc has worked throughout much of Asia-Pacific including China in a regional capacity, and has managed business development, marketing and strategic planning functions. Since 1990, he has also been a member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ), serving on its board and as vice president, in addition to numerous other senior roles, advocating to the Japanese government on behalf of international companies here in Japan.

SECURING GLOBAL CAPITAL AND TECHNOLOGY FOR CANADA AND AUSTRALIA’S CRITICAL MINERALS

Neil Hill Global Strategies, in affiliation with the Transnational Strategy Group, assists Canadian and Australian critical minerals developers to access U.S. funding, enter the American and allied supply chain, and to secure global partnerships. We also help navigate the U.S. Defense Production Act (DPA) and U.S. federal programs and connect Canadian and Australian companies with Japanese and European stakeholders for capital financing or advanced technology for next-generation mining. We build and leverage key relationships in Washington, Brussels, and Tokyo.

  • U.S. Defense Production Act (DPA): Leverages Canada and Australia’s official designation as a domestic source to qualify developers for U.S. financial assistance, including grants, loans, and loan guarantees.
  • Specialized Federal Financing: Unlocks opportunities within the Energy Act of 2020 pilot grants, EXIM Bank’s Supply Chain Resiliency Initiative (SCRI), and public-private structures like Project Vault’s Strategic Critical Minerals Reserve.
  • The One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB): Positions Canadian and Australian companies to capitalize on the July 4, 2025, landmark legislation allocating $7.5 billion to the Department of War, $1 billion for Energy Dominance Financing, and $1 billion for DPA defense applications.

Key Deliverables

  • Vendor Qualification: Coordinates with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to qualify firms as sector vendors, allowing them to compete for tenders to sell to official U.S. reserves.
  • Application Advancement: Provides hands-on support to shape, draft, and advance competitive federal applications without requiring mandatory administration equity stakes.

Global Strategic Partnerships: Japan & Europe

Neil Hill Global Strategies, in affiliation with the Transnational Strategy Group, connects Canadian and Australian projects directly to the capital, technology, and policy ecosystems of Japan and Europe.

  • Institutional Access: Leverages deep ties with Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security, European industrial policy bodies, and strategic raw materials initiatives.
  • Capital Networks: Provides direct access to Japanese trading houses, European export credit agencies, and institutional financiers.
  • Industrial Leaders: Connects developers to automated mining giants and technology innovators across Europe, the United Kingdom and Japan.
  • Supply Chain Integration: Positions Canadian and Australian resources to meet high demand in overseas microelectronics, semiconductors, EV batteries, and automotive manufacturing while securing global resilience goals.

Key Deliverables

  • Targeted Engagement: Coordinates curated investor outreach and direct engagement programs with international automation leaders and capital providers.
  • Financing & Offtakes: Secures long-term capital, institutional backing, and formal offtake agreements for Canadian and Australian developers.
  • ESG & Investor Narratives: Crafts investor-ready materials tailored to Europe’s strict decarbonization priorities and global sustainability standards.
  • Technology Transfer: Provides direct access to advanced robotics, next-generation mining automation, and international innovation.
  • Strategic Relations: Delivers targeted government relations and policy alignment across transpacific and transatlantic jurisdictions.

Team:

Jonathan S. Hale, Neil Hill Global Managing Member; TSG Senior Advisor: Mr. Hale led legislative efforts on the US Senate Commerce Committee to mitigate supply chain vulnerabilities. He previously helped lead supply chain diplomacy at the U.S. Department of State, organized the first-ever U.S.-led Supply Chain Ministerial in which Canada and Australia and Quebecois stakeholders participated, and worked on the White House Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force to address acute supply-chain shortages.

Matthew McManus, TSG’s Senior Advisor for Energy, Critical Minerals and Cross-Border Energy Trade Regulation: Mr. McManusworked on international energy and economic issues at the U.S. State Department for more than three decades. He managed the State Department Presidential Permitting function for cross-border oil pipelines from Canada to the U.S. and engaged frequently in Ottawa and several provincial capitals.  He also served as the co-chair of the Market Impact Committee of the National Defense Stockpile, advising on international market impacts of purchases and dispositions of strategic commodities.

Brian DaRin, TSG’s Senior Advisor for Energy, Infrastructure and Critical Minerals: Mr. DaRin has decades of experience at the U.S. State Department. He also worked on critical materials issues at the National Security Council and served as Co-Chair of the Defense Logistic Agency’s Strategic Materials Committee. He also worked with Canadian miners in Mongolia in the 1990s.

Carson Wynne, TSG’s Calgary-resident Senior Advisor: Mr. Wynnehas extensive experience advising on major Canadian resource development financing. He is currently working closely with senior Government of Canada officials on matters of national defense, US-Canada and Australia trade and national energy initiatives.

Marc Fuoti, TSG’s Senior Advisor for Japan: Mr. Fuoti has over 35 years of experience operating businesses in a multicultural environment in Japan including prior positions as a Senior Vice President at McCann-Erickson and 20th Century Fox. Marc has worked throughout much of Asia-Pacific including China in a regional capacity, and has managed business development, marketing and strategic planning functions. Since 1990, he has also been a member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ), serving on its board and as vice president, in addition to numerous other senior roles, advocating to the Japanese government on behalf of international companies here in Japan.