Global not-for-profit organisation International Women in Mining (IWiM) has announced a new governance board and advisory council to support the next phase of strategic development for the organisation. 

 The new board has been appointed following the stepping down of an executive group which had been in place during a five-year tenure that came to an end over the past 12 months.

In addition, IWiM has appointed an advisory council to ensure wider and more comprehensive geographical representation, intersectionality and subject matter expertise.

It consists of diverse and passionate ambassadors from the mining industry, policymakers and consultancies, the organisation says.

This combined leadership team will build on an already successful programme of growth for IWiM, the organisation acclaims.

Newly appointed directors and their areas of specialisation are: for finance, Kumba Iron Ore CFO Bothwell Mazarura; for business development, Sibanye-Stillwater business development VP Nicola Jackson; for legal, Rio Tinto corporate general counsel Scheherazade Walter; and for governance, Endeavour Mining head of secretariat Susanna Freeman.  

Barbara Dischinger will continue to be part of the board as MD.

“The search for our new board started last year as our existing board had supported the creation and delivery of a strategic plan that saw us make significant impact and grow exponentially.  

“To now be able to welcome such an array of incredible industry leaders is a testimony to the work and I am both grateful and delighted that we can now look to the next stage of development – with many exciting plans in store,” she says.

“I want to wholeheartedly thank Gillian Davidson, our outgoing chair, as well as Jon Samuel, Andrew Cheatle, Beatrice Opoku-Asare, Alex Atkins and Ludivine Wouters, outgoing directors, for their contributions, great insight and expertise. IWiM is stronger because of their participation,” she adds.

The search for the new board was conducted pro bono by specialist global executive search firm Granger Reis.

Positions for the advisory council, which has been in place since late May, were widely advertised and each leader was appointed for their strategic advice and perspective, the organisation says.

IWiM’s Advisory Council is comprised of:

For mining: Kinross employee engagement, inclusion and diversity senior manager Angeles De Stefano; Rio Tinto OTS procurement specialist Deidré de Jager; Thiess Mongolia country finance manager Itgel Zolboot; Peel Mining environmental, social and sustainability manager Jane Yelland; Anglo American group head of sustainability Katie Fergusson; Freeport McMoRan leading digital products business solution architect Marie-Claude Halle; and BHP Minerals Americas director of non-operated joint ventures Nelly Pazó Leon.

For supplier/consultancy: McKinsey Canada partner Marta Mussacaleca; Rada Oy head of international operations Miia Mikkonen; and Berillos ProConsultants CEO and former Nigerian Geological Survey Agency deputy director Olusola Olaniyi. 

For policy/NGO/academia: Development Partner Institute head of programmes and initiatives Allison George; social sustainability specialist Irene Irazábal Briceño; and Rochester Institute of Technology energy policy lecturer and US Embassy Pristina, Kosovo energy specialist Shqipe Neziri Vela.

For Investor: Resource Capital Funds chief sustainability offer Kevin D’Souza.

“The advisory council will be pivotal in supporting IWiM’s strategy, long-term vision and the execution of its projects to increase our impact.

“Overall, this is an incredibly exciting time for IWiM. We look to the future with confidence and are eager to continue to forge and influence the necessary changes for a more socially and environmentally sustainable industry,” says Dischinger.