Executive team
The company has two principal committees. The Group Management Committee (GMC) is responsible for formulating strategy (for discussion and approval by the Board), monitoring performance and managing the Group's portfolio. The Executive Committee (ExCo) is responsible for developing and implementing Group-wide policies and programmes and for the adoption of best practice standards across the Group.
GMC and ExCo members
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Cynthia Carroll
| MSc, MBA, 53
-
Chief executive
Cynthia Carroll joined Anglo American as chief executive in
2007. She chairs Group Management Committee, the Executive
Committee and sits on the Safety and Sustainable Development
(S&SD) Committee. Prior to this, she was president and
chief executive officer of Alcan’s Primary Metal Group and a
former director of AngloGold Ashanti Limited and the Sara Lee
Corporation. She is chairman of Anglo Platinum Limited, a
non-executive director of BP plc, and De Beers.
-
René Médori
| Doctorate in Economics, 52
-
Finance director
- Appointed finance director in September 2005.
- He is a member of the Group Management and Executive Committees
and chairman of the Investment Committee.
- Holds a Doctorate in Economics and was formerly finance
director of The BOC Group between 2000 and 2005, where he worked
for more than 17 years, with postings in France, the US and the
UK.
- Has brought enhanced strength and flexibility to the balance
sheet through:
- Continued non-core disposals at favourable market prices,
including residual shareholding in and final exit from AngloGold
Ashanti.
- Two heavily over-subscribed bond offerings amounting to $3.7
billion, with $1 billion financing facility arranged for Minas-Rio
project.
- Leads the team to secure financing and refinancing arrangements
for the Group.
-
Brian Beamish
| BSc (Mechanical Engineering), 53
-
Group director Mining and Technology
- Appointed group director Mining and Technology in October
2009.
- He is a member of the Safety and Sustainable Development
(S&SD) Committee, the Investment Committee as well as
the Group Management and Executive Committees.
- Has more than 30 years of mining-industry experience in
multiple commodities and geographies
- Spent 20 years at Anglo Platinum, including four years as
operations director between 1996 and 1999.
- Has extensive experience in performance-improvement
initiatives, change management and organisational design.
- Played a significant role in restructuring the portfolio and
development of Anglo American’s Base Metals business unit
into a more diverse and meaningful industry player in the period
since its formation in 1999.
- Recent activities include the acquisition of the Michiquillay
project in Peru and 50% of the Pebble project in Alaska as well as
two of Anglo American’s major current growth projects; the
Barro Alto nickel and Los Bronces copper development projects in
Brazil and Chile, respectively.
- Held the position of chief executive of Base Metals between
2007 and 2009.
-
Mervyn Walker
| MA (Oxon), 50
-
Group director of Human Resources and Communications
- Appointed group director of Human Resources and
Communications in October 2009.
- He is a member of the Group Management and Executive
Committees.
- Joined Anglo in 2008 as group head of Human Resources.
- A solicitor by training, has accumulated broad business
experience in several disciplines and geographies.
- Spent 19 years at British Airways, 14 of them as a senior
director, where roles included the director responsible for legal
affairs, purchasing, human resources and UK airports, as well as
chairman of the company’s pension schemes.
- Prior to joining Anglo American, acquired significant experience of
South Africa as Executive Committee member at Mondi.
- Has driven a recently completed initiative to:
- Assess the role of the corporate centre and the business units
in order to deliver competitive advantage and generate value.
- Minimise duplication and bureaucracy across the business.
- Empower people by clarifying roles, accountabilities and
decision-making processes.
- Under his tenure, Anglo American now has a fit-for-purpose
operating model that will help deliver on its ambition to be the
leading global mining company.
- Holds the position of non-executive chairman of pension schemes
for AMEC plc.
-
David Weston
| MBA, BSc (Eng), 51
-
Group director business performance and projects
- Appointed group director business Performance and Projects
in October 2009.
- He is a member of the Safety and Sustainable Development
(S&SD) Committee, the Investment Committee as well as
the Group Management and Executive Committees.
- Technical director between April 2009 and October
2009.
- Holds the role of non-executive director of International Power
plc.
- Held the position of chief executive of Industrial
Minerals (Tarmac) between 2006 and 2009.
- Received an MBA from INSEAD and is a chartered mechanical
engineer with a strong engineering and commercial background.
- Led Tarmac through a major restructuring to make the business
more efficient, with sharp focus on cash generation, while
maintaining its market-leading positions in the UK, continental
Europe and the Middle East.
- Brings wide international experience to an important leadership
role within Anglo American – having spent the first 25 years
of his career with Shell, working in the UK, Hong Kong, Dubai,
Pakistan and Canada.
- Is set to drive further value for the Anglo American Group
through his role on the general management committee that focuses
on business performance, safety and sustainable development,
commercial co-ordination, energy, iron ore and coal.
ExCo members
-
Walter De Simoni
| BSc (Mining Eng), 54
-
Chief executive of Anglo Nickel
- Appointed chief executive of Anglo Nickel in October 2009.
- One of Anglo American’s longest serving CEOs, having
joined the Group in 1978 as a mining engineer at Morro de Niquel,
Brazil.
- Gained significant mining experience as he progressed to
production manager, industrial manager and finally mine manager
over a 20-year period at Morro de Niquel.
- Transferred to Loma de Niquel, Venezuela, in 2001 as
operational director and later general manager, where he brought
the operation to 100% capacity, implemented operation procedures to
Anglo American standards and ensured it achieved ISO certifications
in a short space of time.
- Significant experience developing community engagement
projects, particularly at Loma de Niquel, where Anglo American has
built health centres, established IT facilities for the local
village, maintained roads and provided support for small business
initiatives.
- Appointed president of Anglo Base Metals Brazil in 2005 and was
integral in the merger of the company with Copebras (Anglo
Industrial Minerals’ fertiliser and phosphate operations) to
come under the control of Anglo American Brazil.
- Became Anglo American Brazil CEO in 2006, preceding a period of
significant growth for the country with the development of the
Barro Alto and Minas Rio projects.
- Recognised for a commitment to sustainable development, Anglo
American Brazil has been awarded numerous accolades during his
tenure, including being recognised as a model company for
sustainability by Brazil’s Exame Magazine for 2008 and
2009.
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Seamus French
| B Eng (Chemical), 47
-
Chief executive of Metallurgical Coal
- Appointed chief executive of Metallurgical Coal in October
2009.
- Has a Chemical Engineering degree and began his career as a
technology development engineer in Germany.
- Moved to WMC Resources in Australia in 1994 initially in a
strategic planning and business development role.
- Progressed to operational management roles in WMC with
extensive experience and achievements in the gold, and nickel
businesses before advancing to the position of Executive General
Manager Copper-Uranium Division.
- Joined BHP Billiton as global vice-president Business
Excellence following its takeover of WMC in 2005.
- Appointed Regional CEO of Anglo Coal Australia in 2007,
bringing strong skills in operational, safety and business
improvement to the role.
- Provides strong leadership and has seen dramatic improvements
in safety, operational performance and business profitability
during his tenure.
-
Chris Griffith
| B Eng (Mining) Hons, Pr Eng, 44
-
Chief executive of Kumba Iron Ore
- Appointed chief executive of Kumba Iron Ore in May 2008
- Has been with Anglo American for almost two decades since
completing a degree in mining engineering and training with Gold
Fields.
- Joined Anglo Platinum where he progressed from shift supervisor
to become one of the youngest general managers in the company at
that time, overseeing the Amandelbult platinum mine.
- Developed the Bafokeng Rasimone Platinum Mine joint venture
from start-up to full production in four years.
- Recognised ability for relationship building and consolidation
having managed Anglo Platinum’s joint venture portfolio
– taking this from one joint venture to six, and 30-40% of
that company’s ounce production.
- Was Anglo Platinum’s head of operations for joint
ventures before being appointed CEO of Kumba Iron Ore in
2008.
- Saw Kumba achieve its best-ever safety performance in the first
year of his tenure, as well as witness attributable profits more
than double from $320 million to $720 million.
-
John MacKenzie
| M.Sc Eng, MBL, 41
-
Chief executive of Copper
- Appointed chief executive of Copper in October 2009.
- Graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand in 1989 with
a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering, and in 1993 attained a
Masters in Engineering at the same university.
- Received a Masters in Business Leadership from the University
of South Africa in 2000 and completed the Advanced Management
Programme at Harvard Business School in 2004.
- Joined Anglo American Gold and Uranium Division in January 1990
at the Elandsrand and Western Deep Levels Gold Mines.
- Awarded Anglo Gold Mining Engineer of the Year 1993.
- Moved to Anglo American Industrial Corporation, Johannesburg,
in 1995 where he was involved in business development, finance and
strategy development.
- Promoted to vice president of Anglo Coal, South American
Operations in 1999.
- In this role, was involved in the acquisition of Australian
coal assets and responsible for the acquisition by Anglo Coal of
the Colombian coal assets.
- In 2004, became general manager of the Minera Loma de Niquel
Mine and processing plant in Venezuela, within the Anglo Base
Metals business unit.
- Appointed CEO of Anglo Base Metals’ Zinc Operations
– based in London – in November 2006.
-
Norman Mbazima
| FCCA, 51
-
Chief executive of Thermal Coal
- Appointed chief executive of Thermal Coal in October 2009.
- Joined the Anglo American Group in May, 2001, after more than
two decades of considerable exposure to the mining industry,
particularly in his home country of Zambia where he began his
career at Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM).
- Spent four years on the privatisation of ZCCM, concentrating on
the commercial and financial aspects of negotiations.
- Spent 17 years at Deloitte & Touche, the last eight as an
equity partner.
- Was chief financial officer at Konkola Copper Mines plc between
2001 and 2003 and, following Anglo American's disposal of this
asset, moved to the Johannesburg office as deputy finance director
of Anglo South Africa before being appointed global chief financial
officer for Anglo Coal.
- Became executive director of finance at Anglo
Platinum in June 2006, and later stepped in as joint acting chief
executive.
- Played a pivotal role in the major broad-based black economic
empowerment transactions that were to create, among others, the
world’s number three and number five platinum companies:
Anooraq Resources and Northam Platinum, respectively.
- Key figure in the establishment and implementation of Anglo
Platinum employee shareholder plan, and played an active part in
aligning the company’s procurement strategies.
- Appointed CEO of Scaw Metals in May 2008.
- Is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified
Accountants and of the Zambia Institute of Chartered
Accountants.
-
Neville Nicolau
| BT (Mining Engineering), MBA, 50
-
Chief executive, Anglo Platinum
- Appointed chief executive of Anglo Platinum in June 2008.
- Has had 30 years’ experience in the Anglo American Group,
where he worked in all of the major operating areas of AngloGold
Ashanti (AGA) in South Africa:
- former general manager of Great Noligwa mine
- regional general manager of Western Deep Levels (the
world’s deepest mine)
- AGA’s technical director in South America
- executive officer of the company’s South African
mines
- Was appointed COO and executive director of AGA in 2005.
- Chosen for his extensive hands-on mining experience and
track-record of focusing on safety, production and costs, he is the
first mining engineer to run Anglo Platinum.
- Under his leadership, Anglo Platinum is progressing a
values-based organisational culture change programme.
- Introduced an appropriate safety management system and is in
the process of putting in place a professional business-planning
process that includes optimum mine planning and a cost-management
system.
- Has overseen production and productivity rates are in line with
2009 full-year target and significantly better than for H1
2008.
- During his tenure, Anglo Platinum has been named the 2009 BEE
dealmaker (University of the Witwatersrand/Barloworld Empowerment
Awards) for its Mvelaphanda Resources empowerment venture.
- Won a number of sustainable development awards which include
the award for most Improved Business at South Africa's Greening the
Future awards and achieved top honors in the Ernst and Young
Excellence in Sustainability Reporting (ESR) Awards 2008.
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Duncan Wanblad
| BSc (Eng) Mech, GDE (Eng Management), 43
-
Group director Non-Core Assets
- Appointed group director Non-Core Assets in October 2009.
- Holds the qualifications of BSc (Eng) Mech and GDE (Eng
Management) from Witwatersrand University, South Africa.
- Joined Johannesburg Consolidated Investment Company Limited
(Johnnies) in 1990 and held various projects and engineering
positions at different mines and divisions of the company.
- Appointed general manager: process projects, within the
projects division in 2001, during which time he was responsible for
the development, implementation and execution of all major projects
within Anglo Platinum’s process division in support of the
company’s major expansion programme.
- Anglo Platinum’s process division remains one of the
biggest in world mining, with a current value of nearly $9
billion.
- During his time at Johnnies and Anglo Platinum, he has been
directly involved in most of the major process projects, and has
driven the creation and maintenance of a world-class safety, health
and environment culture regarding the implementation of
projects.
- Appointed to the board of Anglo Platinum and various company
subsidiaries in 2004 – becoming the executive director in
charge of projects and engineering.
- While in charge of projects and engineering, he was tasked with
the formulation of a business unit strategy and aligning business
structures and process architectures to achieve both Anglo
Platinum’s objectives as well as Anglo American’s
broader strategic outcomes.
- Appointed joint acting chief executive of Anglo Platinum in
August 2007, before taking over as CEO copper operations in May
2008.
-
Stephan Weber
| M.Sc, 48
-
Chief executive of Iron Ore Brazil
- Appointed chief executive of Iron Ore Brazil in October
2009.
- Graduated in 1986 from the Escola de Minas e Metalurgia of the
Federal University of Ouro Preto, Brazil, with a degree in
metallurgical engineering.
- Earned a master’s degree in metallurgical engineering
from the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil, in 1990.
- Formerly part of the Rio Tinto Iron Ore Executive Committee and
the managing director of HIsmelt Corporation in Western Australia,
with responsibility for the ramp up and operation of the HIsmelt
Kwinana Joint Venture Facility.
- In 2003, was made responsible for the HIsmelt plant operation
as general manager technology and operations. Helped to recruit,
train and establish the operations team for the commissioning and
operation of the plant.
- Joined Anglo American in January 2009 from Rio Tinto, as chief
technical officer within Anglo Ferrous Metals and Industries.
- Promoted to CEO of Anglo American Ferrous Brazil in August
2009.
- A published author, he has been involved in the development of
technologies such as new iron and steelmaking process, oxygen
blowing systems, water cooling systems, waste incinerators and heat
recovery steam generators.
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Peter Whitcutt
| Bcom (Hons), CA (SA), MBA, 44
-
Group director Strategy and Business Development
- Appointed group director Strategy and Business Development in
October 2009.
- A Chartered Accountant with a BCom and a MBA from the
University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. Has attended the
Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School in the
US.
- Joined Anglo American in 1990 within the Corporate Finance
division.
- Has extensive mergers and acquisitions (M&A)
experience. Played a key role in the development of group strategy
and the key transactions associated with Anglo American's evolution
from diversified South African conglomerate to focused global miner
starting with the merger of Minorco, the listing of Anglo American
in 1999 and subsequent unwinding of crossholding with De
Beers.
- Played a key role in the Group's major M&A and disposal
activities since the listing of Anglo American plc in
1999.
- In July 2003, assumed a wider finance role, taking on
responsibility for Central Finance in London, Johannesburg and the
Luxembourg office.
- Led the introduction of Value Based Management methodology; a
philosophy, framework and set of tools focused on helping maximise
Anglo American’s value by ensuring that the most attractive
strategic options across the Group’s businesses are
identified, prioritised, resourced and implemented.
- Appointed chief financial officer of Base Metals in August
2008.
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