Aim-listed Kefi Gold and Copper, which is developing projects in Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia, has appointed Danny Callow as independent nonexecutive director with immediate effect, filling the vacancy left by the retirement of Richard Robinson at the recent AGM.

Callow has extensive experience in building mines in Africa, with previous roles including Head of African Copper Operations for Glencore; CEO of Mopani Copper Mines and Mutanda Copper Mine, in Zambia and the DRC respectively; COO of Consolidated Copper; and, in the last seven years, with Toubani Resources, initially as COO before becoming CEO, transitioning to executive chairperson, and more recently to the role of nonexecutive director.

The company has also announced a plan for structuring the board and its committees.

Kefi’s policy for the current board composition is that, pending the start of production at the Tulu Kapi mine, in Ethiopia, it comprises the founding executive directors, the executive chairperson and FD and four independent nonexecutive directors with complementary skills and experience, each chairing an appropriate board committee.

This comprises Dr Alistair Clark, senior independent director, deputy chairperson and chair of the environmental, social and governance and sustainability committee; Addis Alemayehou, nonexecutive director and chair of the nomination and remuneration committee; Maleda Bisrat, nonexecutive director and chair of the audit and risk committee; and Callow, nonexecutive director and chair of the operations and physical risks committee.

The committees comprise all nonexecutive directors, with the executive chairperson attending to report along with other relevant executives and advisers.

All nonexecutive directors will also shortly join the main company subsidiary boards to ensure timely and effective transparency.

The three operating group companies are Kefi, its 100%-held subsidiary KME Minerals Ethiopia Holdings Share Company (KMEH) and its 95%-owned Tulu Kapi Gold Mines Share Company (TKGM).

Alongside the executive chair and FD, other senior executives on specific subsidiary boards to ensure transparency and maximum accountability will shortly comprise Kefi Group COO Eddy Solbrandt as director of KMEH and deputy chair of TKGM; country adviser Ethiopia Abera Mamo as deputy chair of KMEH; and MD of TKGM Simon Cleghorn.

At about the start of production at Tulu Kapi, planned for mid-2028, the board expects that a CEO will be appointed and the current executive chairperson will become nonexecutive chairperson.

The FD will then retire and a successor will be appointed.

Internal staff development and recruitment is in process as part of this and wider succession planning.

“Kefi’s organisational structure is being expanded and refined in preparation for its next stage. Today’s announcement highlights Danny Callow’s very welcome appointment as a nonexecutive director of Kefi.

“Danny brings to our team first-class hands-on African mine development experience and he will focus on closely monitoring project development and, in due course, operations,” Kefi executive chairperson Harry Anagnostaras-Adams says.

“Today’s announcement also summarises the planned and very deliberate composition of the board and the board committees which are designed to maximise transparency and quick information flow.

“A similarly considered deep and deliberate approach is taking place as regards the board and management structure of the subsidiary companies, including at newly formed Ethiopian holding company KME Minerals Ethiopia Holdings Share Company and the main operating company TKGM Share Company.

“Likewise, Gold and Minerals Limited, in Saudi Arabia, has recently expanded its board and is creating an appropriate board committee for operational oversight as it also prepares for project development,” he adds.