Board & Management
BOARD
John Wallington
Chief Executive Chairman
Mr Wallington holds a BSc in Mining Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa and has participated in executive programmes with both the London Business School and Harvard Business School. Mr Wallington has 30 years experience in the coal exploration and mining industry. Prior to joining Coal of Africa, Mr Wallington held the position of CEO for the Anglo Coal Division of Anglo American plc.
Mr Wallington has also held Board positions with Firestone Energy Ltd and Keaton Energy Holdings Limited.
Richard J Linnell
Chairman
Mr Linnell has been active in the resources and metals fields for over forty years and has significant global experience in the development and marketing of resources and commodities. He was the originator of the Bakubang Initiative, a Forum designed to revive the South African Mining Industry and which led to the establishment of the New Africa Mining Fund, of which he is Chairman of Trustees. He currently holds a number of other Directorships.Simon J Farrell
Executive Deputy Chairman
Mr Farrell has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Western Australia and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He has held a number of senior management and Board positions in the resources sector over the last twenty years. He is currently a Director of LSE listed Kenmare Resources plc.Blair Sergeant
Finance Director
Mr Sergeant graduated with a Bachelor of Business and a Post Graduate Diploma in Corporate Administration, both from Curtin University, WA. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Company Secretaries and an Associate of the Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants. Mr Sergeant is currently a Non-executive Director of Ram Resources Limited, listed on the ASX.Professor Alfred Nevhutanda
Executive Director
Professor Nevhutanda holds two PhD degrees (Educational Environment and Arts Culture), a Diploma in Management Studies and an MBA. He has been actively involved in a number of diversified businesses. His areas of competency include corporate governance, strategic planning and leadership.
Professor Nevhutanda is best known for his public commentary on good governance and business ethics. He has acted as an advisor to the King of Vha Venda, Government Ministers and Members of Executive Council of the ruling party (ANC).
Steve Bywater
Non-Executive Director
Mr Bywater has a B.Sc. in Engineering Geology and Geotechincs from Portsmouth University and an M.Sc. in Rock Mechanics and Excavation Engineering from Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Mr Bywater has a distinguished career in the resources industry developing and operating a total of 14 large-scale open pit mining operations. When working for Rio Tinto Coal Australia, he was Chief Operations Officer, and in this position oversaw seven mining operations, producing 60 million tonnes of saleable coal a year. He is also Chief Executive of Global Coal Management.Peter Cordin
Non-Executive Director
Mr Cordin has a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Western Australia and is well experienced in the evaluation, development and operation of resource projects within Australia and overseas. He is the Managing Director of ASX listed Dragon Mining Limited.Hendrik Verster
Non-Executive Director
Mr Verster is currently the Executive Director Finance for ArcelorMittal.He has 15 years finance management experience at AcelorMittal and is a board member of various AcelorMittal boards. Mr Verster is also a Director of the National Business Initiative.MANAGEMENT
Riaan van der Merwe
Chief Operating Officer
Mr van der Merwe, a Mining Engineering graduate of the University of Pretoria, began his career in South Africa’s deep-level gold mining industry, with the last 19 years of his career spent in the South African coal industry with the Anglo American Group. He has held senior management positions in both opencast and underground mines and headed up Anglo Coal South Africa’s Eskom and later Export operations, responsible for delivering some 32 million and 19 million tonnes per annum respectively into those markets. His latest role was to lead that company’s growth projects and mining services, involving a project pipeline in excess of R15 billion.
In addition to his mining qualification, Mr van der Merwe holds an MBA degree from the North-West University (formerly Potchefstroom University) and attended the Senior Executive Programme at Columbia Business School.
COMMITTEES
Audit Committee
Roles and ResponsibilitiesHendrik Verster (Chairman)
Peter Cordin
Steve Bywater
Remuneration Committee
Roles and ResponsibilitiesSteve Bywater (Chairman)
Richard Linnell
Peter Cordin
Welfare, Health & Safety Committee
Peter Cordin (Chairman)Steve Bywater
Hendrik Verster