JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Johannesburg- and New York-listed Gold Fields on Monday said it has named Kgabo Moabelo its managing executive for South Africa, with effect March 1.

Moabelo was previously the executive VP for people and organisational effectiveness for the Gold Fields group, including its international operations.

“Following the unbundling of Sibanye Gold from Gold Fields, it had become necessary to review the management structures for the South Africa region and the South Deep mine.

“Kgabo will have full responsibility for South Deep's business and operational performance, in addition to dealing with the many outside stakeholders that fall within the ambit of the company's South African operations," CEO Nick Holland said in a statement.

South Deep is a crucial pillar in the growth of Gold Fields, accounting for a significant portion of the company's mineral reserves and future production profile. The mine was expected to achieve its targeted production rate of 700 000 oz/y by 2016.

Moabelo joined Gold Fields in 2010 from Cisco Systems and has held leadership roles in mining, energy, financial services and information technology.

His position as head of human resources (HR) would be taken over by Lee-Ann Samuel who would become Gold Fields' senior HR VP. She previously headed up the company's remuneration and employee benefits portfolio.

Samuel joined Gold Fields in 2009 and had held a number of managerial positions at large private sector companies as well as consulted widely to local and provincial government departments.

Further, Ernesto Balarezo has joined the company as executive VP for South America, to replace Juan-Luis Kruger. Balarezo joins Gold Fields from Lima-listed mining company Hochschild Mining where he was operations VP.

In total, he has 21 years of professional experience in the industrial and mining industries.