JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Aim-listed explorer African Potash has appointed professional services firm EY senior partner and oil & gas leader for Africa Elias Pungong as nonexecutive director, following the exit of board member Ed Marlow.
Pungong would support the company in its growth strategy as it sought to realise value from its Lac Dinga potash project, in the Republic of Congo, in addition to building vertically integrated fertiliser operations.
In his current role at EY, he led the firm’s transaction advisory and assurance work within the energy practice, while previous positions had seen him advising governments, multinationals and private sector institutions across Africa on strategy, operation and general management issues.
Prior to his position at EY, Pungong spent 14 years at audit and assurance, tax and consulting services group PwC where he was a member of PwC’s Africa leadership team, as well as MD for the firm’s sub-Saharan Africa Francophone team, leading the firm’s expansion efforts across Francophone Africa.
He also currently served as honorary British consul to the Littoral region, in Cameroon.
He earned a Masters degree with first-class honors in Mathematical Statistics from Oxford University, in the UK, and received advanced executive training at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Yale School of Management, in the US, in global leadership, management and organisational leadership.
“Elias has a proven and acute understanding of Francophone Africa and, in particular, resource development in the region.
“He has a first-class network and will be invaluable in orchestrating the development of Lac Dinga and compatible resources, as we look to build a vertically integrated fertiliser company,” commented African Potash chairperson Chris Cleverly.