Dual-listed Tharisa on Tuesday announced a change to its lead independent director and the composition of certain board committees. 

In addition, the platinum group metals and chrome producer also announced additional senior management appointments to enhance its corporate governance, climate change and sustainability initiatives.

Dr Carol Bell has been appointed as the lead independent director, member and chairperson of the nomination committee and chairperson of the remuneration committee.

She replaced Dr David Salter, who relinquished the lead independent role, having served in this position since April 2014, and chairpersonship of the nomination committee.

Bell also replaced Antonios Djakouris, who has stepped down as the chairperson of the remuneration committee.

Both Salter and Djakouris would remain as independent nonexecutive directors and members of the nomination committee and remuneration committee.

These changes are effective from October 1. Bell has served as an independent nonexecutive director on Tharisa's board since 2016.

CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE

Tharisa also announced that its board had established the climate change and sustainability committee, which would function alongside the safety, health and environment and the social and ethics committees.

This new committee comprised all members of the board and would be chaired by Bell.

The focus of this committee, in the near term, was oversight of the implementation of the company's carbon action plan to becoming net carbon neutral by 2050.

It would also guide the group towards its goal of creating a circular economy while producing critical metals for the decarbonisation of global economies. The decarbonisation action plan has been approved by the Tharisa board, forming part of its broader sustainability programme.

MANAGEMENT APPOINTMENTS

Further, Tharisa said it had strengthened its management team with several key appointments to enhance corporate governance, climate change and sustainability initiatives and to support its strategic growth plans.

Lucien Matthews recently joined as special projects MD and is driving the company's beneficiation strategy. A physicist by training, Matthews has spent over three decades in steel, stainless steel and associated industries, and has been CEO of a number of stainless steel companies globally.

Suren Singh has joined Tharisa as internal audit group head. A chartered accountant (CA) by profession, he has spent three decades in internal audit, ranging from government, retail, automotive and most recently as chief internal auditor at an international gold producer.

Andrew Henwood would join as executive corporate finance, based in London, from October 1. A CA, he was most recently with a 'Big 4' accounting firm while having spent a large part of his working life in the mining sector in various finance roles.

Tebogo Matsimela would join as group environment, social and governance (ESG) manager from an ESG Associate position in asset management, from October 1. Matsimela worked in various environmental roles before moving into asset management as an ESG analyst for listed and unlisted companies across a broad range of industries with a particular focus on mining and energy.