Appointment of Key Positions to Strengthen Management Team
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Marula Mining PLC
(“Marula’’ or the “Company”)
6 June 2023
Appointment of Key Positions to Strengthen Management Team
Marula Mining (AQSE: MARU) an African focused mining and development company, is pleased to announce a number of key management appointments, including the appointment of Tokkas Van Heerden, as Chief Operating Officer (“COO”) of the Company in a non-board position.
These appointments strengthen Marula’s management team at both the corporate level at its headquarters in Nairobi and across its operational bases in East and Southern Africa. The new management appointments come as the Company advances its planned listing on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market and as the Company looks to deliver on its mine production and development strategy in the battery metals sector in Africa.
Highlights:
- Mr Tokkas van Heerden appointed as COO of the Company and responsible for the successful development and operation of its mining operations through Africa.
- Mr Henk van Zyl and Mr Edward Ruheni appointed as General Manager Operations Southern Africa and General Manager Operations East Africa respectively.
- Other key management appointments include Ms Melissa Ndele appointed as the Group’s Financial Controller, Ms Shiko Muchai as the Company’s Joint Company Secretary, Ms Faith Kinyanjui appointed as the Company’s Investor Relations Manager and Ms Eunice Wairima as the Company’s Social Corporate Responsibility and ESG Manager, all based at the Company’s headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.
- A strengthening of the Company’s Board of Directors is underway with a number of key independent and non-executive appointments to be made ahead of the planned listing on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market to better represent the Company’s activities and presence in Southern and East Africa. Further announcements will be made in due course.
Jason Brewer, Marula Mining PLC CEO said:
“The past several months have proven to be transformational for Marula and have seen the Company go from strength to strength, with a number of milestones in all of its planned mine operations and mine development activities.
“This growth and our ongoing transition to being an operational mining and mine investing and development company requires us to strengthen our management team if we are to deliver on our growth strategy, and new mine operations in the battery metals sector in Africa.
“I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Tokkas as COO, Henk and Edward as General Manager Southern and East Africa. Individually and collectively, these additions, with their whole host of experience and expertise, are an asset to Marula, and I have no doubt, will prove valuable as we enter the next phase of our development, and accomplish further significant milestones. I would also like to congratulate Melissa, Faith, Shiko and Eunice on their new positions, and who, based out of the Company’s headquarters in Nairobi, are key members of the team that I believe will contribute greatly to our success.”
Mr Tokkas van Heerden appointed as COO
Mr van Heerden has been appointed as COO and is responsible for overseeing and managing the Company’s mining, development, and ore processing operations throughout Africa. In this role he will set and deliver on the Company’s operating and capital budgets and forecasts to meet the annual corporate objectives and financial targets. He will further ensure the Company’s activities comply with all statutory and regulatory requirements and lead the organisation in meeting the Company’s environmental, health and safety, social corporate responsibility and ESG requirements and policies.
Tokkas is an experienced South African mining executive, based in South Africa and who has been responsible for various new mine developments and constructions, mine commissioning and managing mining operations in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia and Mozambique in the past 25 years.
Mr van Heerden has been working with the Company since July 2022 in his capacity as a director of Southern Metals Processing, which are the Company’s mineral processing consultants and have been responsible for the processing activities at the Blesberg Lithium and Tantalum Mine and the copper processing plant design for the Kinusi Copper Mine, which is scheduled to commence processing operations in H2 2023.
Mr Hendrik (“Henk”) Adriaan van Zyl appointed as General Manager Operations Southern Africa
Mr van Zyl has been appointed as General Manager Operations Southern Africa and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the construction, commissioning and operation of the Company’s current and potential future mining and processing operations in Southern Africa, including South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia He will be responsible for ensuring the Company’s operations comply with all regulatory requirements and are compliant with Marula’s environmental, health, safety and ESG policies.
Henk has 25 years’ experience in South Africa’s engineering, construction and mining industries and has been instrumental in the establishment, development and management of companies in both greenfield and brownfield surface and underground mining operations as well mining law regulation and compliance, mine to market and full supply chain management.
Mr van Zyl has been managing all operational and regulatory aspects of the Company’s Blesberg Lithium and Tantalum Mine since October 2022 and will also now work closely with Mr William Thompson, the Company’s recently appointed Zimbabwe Country Manager, in advancing activities in Zimbabwe including evaluation work and due diligence reviews on several potential acquisition targets and joint venture opportunities.
Henk is currently a director of the Company’s subsidiary Southern African Lithium and Tantalum Mining Proprietary Limited.
Mr Edward Ruheni appointed as General Manager Operations East Africa
Mr Ruheni has been appointed as General Manager Operations East Africa and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the construction, commissioning, and operation of the Kinusi Copper Mine and Nyorinyori and Bagamoyo Graphite Projects in Tanzania, as well as potential future new mining and processing operations throughout East Africa. A key aspect of his role will be in ensuring activities comply with all the relevant government regulatory requirements and that these activities are implemented in accordance with the Company’s environmental, health, safety and ESG policies at all times.
Edward holds a bachelor’s degree in Commerce and Finance from Strathmore University in Kenya and possesses a strong regional network and presence that the Director’s believe is pivotal in overseeing and expanding the Company’s activities and operations in the region.
Mr Ruheni is a director of Takela Mining Tanzania Limited, the Company’s partner at the Kinusi Copper Mine and Nyorinyori Graphite Project and has been involved with the Company’s recently appointed COO, Mr van Heerden, in advancing the Kinusi Copper Mine development, and processing activities and exploration work at the Nyorinyori Graphite Project.
Ms Shiko Muchai appointed as Joint Company Secretary
Ms Muchai has been appointed as Joint Company Secretary of the Company and will work closely with Orana Corporate LLP and Anthony Eastman in the United Kingdom in ensuring the Company maintains its strong record of corporate governance and administration.
Ms Melissa Ndele appointed as Group Financial Manager
Ms Ndele assumes the role of Financial Controller and will oversee and manage the Company’s finance department and team which now extends through the United Kingdom, South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya. Melissa will be responsible for ensuring optimal financial performance and resource allocation across the Company's mining operations and new mine developments in East and Southern Africa.
Ms Faith Kinyanjui appointed as Investor Relations Manager and Digital Strategist
Ms Kinyanjui holds a bachelor’s degree in Multimedia Journalism and Communication from Riara University in Kenya and has been responsible for implementation of the Company’s strategic communication, and media plans and policies since July 2022. In this role as Investor Relations Manager and Digital Strategist, Faith will be responsible for preparing and implementing the Company’s communication strategies to maintain and build on the positive relationships with our stakeholders both in the United Kingdom and throughout Africa.
Ms Eunice Wairima as the Company’s Social Corporate Responsibility and ESG Manager
Ms Wairima assumes the role of Social Corporate Responsibility and ESG Manager of the Company’s activities throughout East and Southern Africa. This is considered a major role within the Company’s management structure and important in ensuring our operations are efficient and in line with the Company’s sustainable and responsible mining practices. Eunice’s role is a great addition to ensure Marula maintains a high standard within the local regions it operates in and more so for the greater good of the environment.
The Directors of Marula are responsible for the contents of this announcement.
About Marula Mining
Marula Mining (AQSE: MARU) is an African focused battery metals investment and exploration company and has interests in several high value mine projects in Africa; Blesberg Lithium and Tantalum Mine in South Africa, Nkombwa Hill Project in Zambia and Kinusi Copper mine, Bagamoyo Graphite Project and Nyorinyori Graphite Project in Tanzania. As we advance operations at these battery metals focused projects, Marula will continue to build and expand its interests in other high-quality projects in Africa.
Marula’s strategy is to identify and invest in advanced and high-value mining projects throughout East, Central and Southern Africa that the Directors believe would deliver returns for its shareholders. The Board and management team aims to establish Marula as a socially and environmentally responsible, sustainable, and profitable producer of critical metals and commodities that are of increasingly strategic importance to modern technologies and the global economy.
Marula’s shares are traded on the AQUIS Stock Exchange (AQSE), Marula is exploring opportunities to admit its shares to trading on AIM, the market operated by the London Stock Exchange Group plc, and Kenya’s Nairobi Securities Exchange.
For enquiries contact:
| Marula Mining PLC Jason Brewer, Chief Executive Officer
Faith Kinyanjui Mumbi Investor Relations |
Email : jason@marulamining.com
Email : info@marulamining.com
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| AQSE Corporate Adviser Cairn Financial Advisers LLP, Liam Murray / Ludovico Lazzaretti | +44 (0)20 7213 0880 |
| Broker | +44 (0)20 7469 0930
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| Financial PR and IR BlytheRay Tim Blythe / Megan Ray / Said Izagaren | +44 (0)20 7138 3204
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Caution;
Certain statements in this announcement, are, or may be deemed to be, forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as ''believe'', ''could'', "should" ''envisage'', ''estimate'', ''intend'', ''may'', ''plan'', ''potentially'', "expect", ''will'' or the negative of those, variations or comparable expressions, including references to assumptions. These forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts but rather on the Directors' current expectations and assumptions regarding the Company's future growth, results of operations, performance, future capital and other expenditures (including the amount, nature and sources of funding thereof), competitive advantages, business prospects and opportunities. Such forward looking statements reflect the Directors' current beliefs and assumptions and are based on information currently available to the Directors.
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