Potash development company Kore Potash has announced the appointment of JM André Baya as CEO, effective from April 15. The position is a non-board role.

The company owns a 97% stake in the Kola and DX potash projects in the Sintoukola basin in Congo-Brazzaville.

Baya has more than 20 years of experience in the global mining and agriculture sectors. He also has African experience, having held senior positions for groups with operations in Congo-Brazzaville.

Immediately prior to joining Kore, Baya worked as a management consultant, leading the corporate re-engineering of Fraser Alexander’s African subsidiaries and the corporate development of Fortescue Mining Group’s Belinga iron-ore project in Gabon.

Prior to this, Baya was country and general manager for a variety of global mining corporations including Sundance Resources, Cominco, Roxgold, Alliance Mining Commodities, Orezone and Central Copper Resources.

Other notable positions he has held in the past include COO of Managem, a Morocco-based international mining group, where he was responsible for the management of the group’s operations and development projects across eight African nations.

From 1985 to 2001, Baya worked in trade and agriculture, holding both technical and managerial roles for industrial chemicals and agrochemicals businesses in Africa and beyond.

“To appoint a CEO with [Baya’s] experience in both the mining and global agriculture sectors . . . demonstrates the surefooted ambitions of Kore Potash to become a major potash producer . . . He will be pivotal in the development of the Kola and DX projects, and position Kore to supply the world’s agricultural needs and meet the rising demand in the global fertiliser market.

“[Baya’s] deep experience of working in francophone Africa will also enable Kore to develop vital in-country partnerships and derive maximum value for stakeholders,” Kore chairperson David Hathorn said.