Board & Management
BOARD
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.John Wallington
Chief Executive Officer
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.
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.David Murray
Senior Independent Non-Executive Director
Mr Murray holds a Bachelor of Science Degree (Civil Engineering) from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and a Post Graduate Diploma in Mining Engineering from the University of Pretoria. He has also completed the Advanced Executive Program from the University of South Africa.
Mr Murray has held a number of senior positions in the global coal industry, including Managing Director of Ingwe Coal Corporation (formerly Trans-Natal Coal Corporation Limited), Chief Executive of BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance and President of Energy Coal Sector Group at BHP Billiton Limited (“BHP Billiton”), a position he held until December 2009.
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.Messrs Khomotso Mosehla
Non-Executive Director
BCompt (Hons), CTA, CA (SA) After serving articles at KPMG, Mr Mosehla worked for five years at African Merchant Bank Limited, where he gained a broad range of experience, including MBO, LBO and capital restructuring/raising transactions. In 2003, he established Mvelaphanda Corporate Finance, for the development of Mvelaphanda’s mining and non-mining interests. Mr Mosehla served as a director on the boards of several companies, including Mvelaphanda Resources Limited, and he is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Mosomo Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd.Mikki Xayiya
Non-Executive Director
BA (Unisa), Cert of Defence Management (Wits), Emerging Market Leadership Programme (University of Pennsylvania) Mr Xayiya has served in various capacities in the African National Congress since 1977. In 1995, he was appointed as a Policy Advisor – Office of the Premier, Gauteng Provincial Government. He left public office and joined Mawenzi Asset Managers as Managing Director. In 1998 he co-founded Mvelaphanda Holdings. Mr Xayiya was appointed as Executive Chairman of Mvelaphanda Holdings with effect from 9 June 2009.Rudolph Torlage
Non-Executive Director
BCompt (Hons), CTA, CA (SA) Mr Torlage is a Chartered Accountant and has over twenty years experience with ArcelorMittal South Africa. He is currently Executive Director Finance and a Board member of various unlisted ArcelorMittal Group companies.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 ResponsibilitiesPeter Cordin
Steve Bywater
Remuneration Committee
Roles and ResponsibilitiesSteve Bywater (Chairman)
Richard Linnell
Peter Cordin
Welfare, Health & Safety Committee
Peter Cordin (Chairman)Steve Bywater