Global environmental and social advisory Kongiwe Environmental, following a vote by the shareholders at the Annual General Meeting, is proud to announce the entry of three new non-executive directors, namely Dr Gordon Smith, Alexander Lemon and Norman Banks.

With their combined wealth of industry knowledge and experience, they will join re-elected executive directors Bradly Thornton (CEO) and Grant Cornish-Bowden (COO) in advancing a progressive strategy for the consultancy’s future.

Smith is a seasoned professional engineer with 45 years of multi-commodity experience in the mining sector culminating with a 20-year tenure at Anglo American Platinum and Anglo American. He holds a PhD in mineral industry strategy, a Master of Business Administration, an MSc in engineering and a BSc in engineering specialising in mining, all from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits). He serves as a trustee and director of various companies, honorary adjunct or associate professor since 2014 at the School of Mining Engineering and advisory board member at the University of the Witwatersrand and Council member (previously served as president) of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.

Smith has extensive experience in business leadership and management as well as technical aspects of the mining industry. He holds and has held appointments as a director of companies, both private and listed, and currently chairs the CSIR Mining Cluster Industry Advisory Panel.

Lemon, meanwhile, brings an added international perspective with strong ties to a significant global network in the industry. He has over 30 years’ experience in mineral exploration and business development and is a founding Director and President of Mkango Resources Limited, a TSX-V and AIM listed company which is developing new sustainable sources of NdPr oxide, recycled NdFeB and other rare earths products from Malawi, UK, Germany, Poland and the US.

Lemon is also a fellow of the Geological Society and the Royal Geographical Society, as well as a member of the Southern African Institute of Mining & Metallurgy.

Finally, Banks was instrumental in establishing and growing Southern Mapping Company into the leading aerial survey company in Africa. Banks’ land surveying career spans 40 years starting off at State-owned power utility Eskom. In 1996, Banks was a member of the team that developed and commercialised the first combined airborne LiDAR and digital camera system worldwide.

Banks has comprehensive technical and business experience in the aerial survey industry which he has provided to the urban and regional planning, exploration, mining, infrastructure, environmental and other sectors to clients in many African countries.

Banks is both a registered Professional Land Surveyor and a Professional Photogrammetric Surveyor and is also the President of the Association of Air Survey Companies as well as the Alternate Chairperson and the Aerial Survey Representative on the South African Geomatics Council.

Thornton, Founder and CEO of Kongiwe, expressed his enthusiasm, stating: “From an incredibly solid foundation, we are poised for significant further growth and are thrilled to have these industry leaders join the Board to advise us through this new era.”