Precious and battery metals miner Sibanye-Stillwater has made several senior management appointments, which it says will enhance delivery and strategic focus.
Thabisile Phumo has been appointed EVP of stakeholder relations South Africa, effective April 1, reporting to chief social performance officer Themba Nkosi.
Phumo joined Sibanye in 2014 and has 21 years’ experience in the mining industry. She started out in corporate communications and then branched into corporate affairs and stakeholder relations.
Prior to this, she occupied various corporate management roles at the University of South Africa; the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees; the Commission for Gender Equality; and Anglo American Platinum.
James Wellsted has been appointed EVP of investor relations and corporate affairs, effective April 1, reporting to CEO Neal Froneman.
Wellsted is noted as having been an integral part of the Sibanye leadership team since joining the group in 2013. Prior to this, he was a rated research analyst covering the South Africa mining sector for a US bank and spent seven years at Mvelaphanda Resources as investor relations executive.
Kleantha Pillay has been appointed EVP of sales and marketing, effective April 1, reporting to COO Richard Stewart.
Pillay joined Sibanye as VP of marketing in May 2019, responsible for building the platinum group metal (PGM) sales and marketing function in South Africa and facilitating the company’s entry into the market.
Prior to this, she was head of market development at Anglo American, responsible for identifying, managing and commercialising opportunities to develop global markets for PGMs.
“People are our most important asset and it is very pleasing to see the development of senior management from within the group and the appointment of the first women to our executive.
“As the group has grown and evolved, we have continued to attract and retain exceptional talent to ensure efficient delivery of our strategic priorities with a strong and diverse leadership team. I am confident that these appointments to senior management will further bolster our ability to deliver value, as we execute our strategic intent and ensure operating excellence across the group,” says Froneman.