Silver Viper Taps Capital Markets Veteran for Mexican Expansion Push

VANCOUVER, BC – January 06, 2026 – Junior explorer Silver Viper Minerals Corp. has significantly bolstered its leadership team, appointing seasoned capital markets executive Jeff Couch to its Board of Directors. The move, effective today, is being interpreted as a clear signal of the company's aggressive ambitions to accelerate the development of its expanding portfolio of precious metals projects in Mexico.

Mr. Couch brings a formidable resume that spans senior investment banking roles and operational leadership in the global mining sector. His appointment comes at a pivotal moment for Silver Viper, which recently upsized a private placement to C$17 million and completed a major project acquisition, positioning itself for a new phase of growth.

"We are very pleased to welcome Jeff to Silver Viper," said Adam Cegielski, Chairman of Silver Viper Minerals Corp., in the official announcement. "Jeff brings deep capital-markets expertise and extensive board experience across global mining jurisdictions. His experience strengthens our governance as we continue to advance our portfolio in Mexico."

A Strategic Play for Capital and Growth

Jeff Couch is not a typical board appointment for a junior exploration company. His profile suggests a strategic move to secure high-level financial and operational guidance. Currently associated with a multi-billion dollar mining-focused global private equity firm, Couch has his finger on the pulse of institutional investment in the natural resources sector.

His background includes over a decade as the Head of Investment Banking for Europe at BMO Capital Markets, along with senior positions at Credit Suisse Europe and Citigroup. This experience provides Silver Viper with an insider's perspective on raising capital, structuring deals, and navigating complex financial markets—all critical skills as the company looks to fund its capital-intensive exploration and development programs.

Beyond his banking credentials, Couch has direct operational experience in challenging jurisdictions. He serves as the acting Chief Executive Officer for both Lydian Mining, an Armenian gold development company, and Alufer Mining, a bauxite producer in Guinea. His leadership at Lydian, which is advancing the large-scale Amulsar gold-silver project through complex political and social hurdles, provides him with firsthand knowledge of the intricacies of developing precious metals assets in emerging markets. This hands-on experience complements his financial acumen, equipping him to guide Silver Viper through both the financial and practical challenges of project advancement.

Fortifying an Ambitious Project Pipeline

The timing of Couch's appointment aligns perfectly with Silver Viper's recent strategic moves. The company is no longer just a single-project explorer; it has rapidly assembled a district-scale portfolio in Mexico's prolific silver belt. This expanded pipeline requires a more sophisticated approach to capital allocation and strategic development, which Couch is well-equipped to provide.

The company's flagship La Virginia Gold-Silver Project in Sonora remains a key focus. In late 2025, Silver Viper launched a 5,000-meter drill program aimed at expanding the existing mineral resource, which stands at an indicated 154,000 ounces of gold and 6.92 million ounces of silver, with a larger inferred resource. The stated goal is to push the project's total resource past the one-million-ounce gold-equivalent mark, a critical threshold for attracting major partners or development financing.

More significantly, Silver Viper is on the verge of closing its acquisition of the Coneto Silver-Gold Project in Durango from industry giants Fresnillo Plc and Orex Minerals. The US$15 million all-share transaction adds a project with a substantial inferred resource of over 500,000 gold-equivalent ounces and significant exploration upside. Integrating and advancing a project of this scale, with its history of exploration by a major like Fresnillo, demands precisely the kind of strategic oversight and capital markets access that Couch brings to the board.

Navigating Mexico's Evolving Mining Landscape

Bringing in an executive with experience in navigating complex regulatory environments is particularly timely given the current climate in Mexico. The country's mining sector is in a state of transition. Sweeping reforms enacted in 2023 under the previous administration created uncertainty, leading to a freeze on new concessions and a dip in exploration investment.

However, with President Claudia Sheinbaum's new government taking office, there is a sense of cautious optimism in the industry. While policy details are still emerging, the new administration has signaled a more pragmatic approach, recently halting legislation that would have banned open-pit mining. The industry anticipates that the permitting logjam may begin to clear in 2025, potentially reigniting large-scale exploration by 2026.

Couch's experience steering projects in Armenia and Guinea—both jurisdictions with their own unique sets of political, social, and regulatory challenges—will be an invaluable asset for the Silver Viper board. His proven ability to manage complex stakeholder relations and advance projects amid uncertainty provides a layer of strategic risk mitigation as the company deepens its investment in Mexico.

For investors, the appointment of a high-caliber executive like Jeff Couch is a powerful statement. It signals that Silver Viper is maturing beyond a pure exploration play and is building the leadership and governance structure necessary for serious project development. His connection to the world of private equity and institutional finance may also open doors to new, larger pools of capital, de-risking the company's ambitious growth plans and enhancing its credibility in a competitive market.