Gold Fields executive VP South Africa Benford Mokoatle
Dual-listed Gold Fields has permanently appointed Benford Mokoatle as executive VP (EVP) South Africa, after he served as the acting EVP for the region since July 2022.
He joined Gold Fields in 2017 as VP and head of operations. Notably, he played a pivotal role in the turnaround of the South Deep mine, having led the necessary technical and operational changes necessary to unlock the mine’s potential.
Gold Fields also appointed Kelly Carter as VP for legal and compliance, and Francois Swanepoel as chief technical officer.
Carter was previously VP for legal and corporate affairs in Gold Fields’ Australia region. She joined the company in 2011 and proceeded to champion the broader gold sector in Australia, holding leadership roles for the past six years in the Gold Industry Group, which she has chaired since 2021.
Swanepoel was previously head of technical and improvement for Gold Fields’ Salares Norte project, in Chile. His leadership has helped to build the world-class mine at 4 700 m altitude and in extreme weather conditions.
He will relocate from Santiago to Peru to fulfil his new position. He will continue to support the Salares Norte team until first gold production in the fourth quarter.
The company comments it has successfully globalised its business from being a South Africa-focused miner to a globally diversified miner.
“We believe it is only right that the people who lead our business should not only be exceptional in their respective fields and have great leadership capabilities but represent the global demographic and cultural fabric of our business. The appointments made today meet this aspiration,” states interim CEO Martin Preece.