Han Ilhan is a strategic advisor and mining executive with deep expertise in Critical Raw Materials (CRM). He recently served as the External Advisor to the Chairman of Uzbekistan’s Technological Metals Complex (TMK), where he developed business strategies for TMK's nationwide CRM asset portfolio across upstream mining, midstream metal production, and downstream end-product manufacturing, as well as provided guidance on structuring and securing financing.
As co‑founder of U.S. based Catalis Strategies, Han designs business strategy and execution roadmaps, builds G2G, G2B, and B2B partnerships, and converts policy intent into bankable projects guided by his 2+2=22 principle. He structures financing and M&A, with a sharp focus on growth, risk management and equitable risk sharing.
With 40+ years of mining industry experience across the globe, he bridges capital, OEMs, technology providers, EPCs, and offtakers to secure diversified CRM supply for energy, defense, aerospace, automotive, and advanced manufacturing. A recognized thought leader, Han is regularly invited to share insights at high‑level international forums, think tanks, and investor events.
Do Friend-Shoring MoUs Actually Deliver? Europe and the World Compared
Since 2020, governments around the world, Europe included, have signed well over a hundred Friend-Shoring memoranda of understanding to secure critical-minerals supply. Do these agreements actually deliver? This session puts that question to the test, drawing on a global study of 136 such agreements to compare Europe's record against the rest of the world.
