Anglo American Plc has disclosed that it has appointed its first female CEO to lead its South African iron ore business for the first time as the mining giant restructures its top bulk commodities management. Mpumi Zikalala is going to take the position of first female CEO of Anglo currently serving as managing director of De Beers managed operations.
Anglo American plc has earned an impeccable reputation as a British listed multinational mining company that has its main office in London, England. The decision of the firm to appoint the female CEO comes into action as the mining segment is male-dominated, so the firm is striving to increase the presence of the firm in the management.
Mpumi Zikalala will take the place of Themba Mkhwanazi and became the CEO of Kumba Iron Ore Ltd. on Jan. 1. Themba Mkhwanazi will serve as head of bulk commodities from Seamus French, who is leaving the company. The 42-year-old Zikalala was chosen to handle De Beers’s South African and Canadian operations in 2019. She has been serving in the diamond division since 2007.
Furthermore, the demand for high-grade iron ore of Kumba by Chinese customers has helped it to become one of Anglo’s most profitable units. Though the business profited from rising prices in recent years, it seems like Zikalala will encounter issues of discovering new deposits and expanding the company’s giant Sishen open pit operation in South Africa’s Northern Cape province.
