George Roach

17th April 2015 By: Martin Creamer - Creamer Media Editor

George Roach

Full Name: George Greville Roach

Position: Executive chairperson and CEO of Premier African Minerals, which listed on Aim in London in December 2012; it began as the largely privately funded G&B African Resources in 2007

Main Activity of the Company: Exploration and development

Date and Place of Birth: October 29, 1948, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal

Education: Kearsney College, matric, 1965; studied for a BSc degree at the then University of Natal for one year, passed very little and left

First Job: Ships agency AJ Keeler, 1967

Size of First Pay Packet: R85 a month

Value of Assets under Your Control: The company’s current market capitalisation is at a low £5-million. Just one of the company’s assets, the RHA tungsten asset, in Zimbabwe, has a net present value of $180-million. More significant is that the openpit has an internal rate of return of 160%; when developed, the main mine will have an internal rate of return of $200-million-plus

Number of People under Your Leadership: About 80 people by June

Management Style: I have a very flat structure and I encourage communication at all levels

Personal Best Achievement: Writing the mining conventions of the Central African Republic, the first for Uramin in 2006 and the second for Axmin in 2010

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: Kearsney College

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Stephen Dattels

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: I do not have any burning desire to meet anyone in particular

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: I do not know any successful mining entrepreneur who is completely honest

Philosophy of Life: I have postponed my birthday sine die. I have no intention of stopping at all. I would also like to catch a few more marlin before I die and get my golf handicap back to where it should be

Biggest Ever Opportunity: I am currently very inwardly focused on RHA

Biggest Ever Disappointment: The way that Africa has been pillaged over the years

Hope for the Future: That Premier African Minerals becomes successful for the benefit of its shareholders; I would also love to see South Africa deal with its corruption and social inequalities

Favourite Reading: Nature, earth science

Favourite TV Programme: The Blacklist

Favourite Food/Drink: Junk food/good blended red South African wine

Favourite Music: The Book of Mormon satirical musical, Andrew Lloyd Webber

Favourite Sport: Golf

Hobbies: Fishing

Car: Mercedes-Benz GL350. I have a couple of these floating around. I like cars. I cannot help buying another car every now and again – it is one of my real weaknesses

Pets: Two Jack Russell terriers, a couple of horses, a few blesbok

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Dishonesty – that is a huge issue with me

Married: I probably will be married again soon – for the third time

Children: Six children and seven grandchildren

Clubs: Kyalami Country Club