About us

Minerals Council Office Bearers

• 
  President: Paul Dunne

  President: Paul Dunne

  BSc (Hons)(Electrical Engineering), Master of Business Administration

  Paul Dunne joined Northam in March 2014 as Chief Executive Officer. He has been a Board member of Northam Holdings since 2020 and of the group since March 2014 and is a non–executive director of the International Platinum Group Metals Association (IPA). He was formerly an executive director at Impala Platinum Holdings Limited, responsible for mining, concentrating and smelting operations at the Group’s Rustenburg and Marula mines.

  Paul was elected as an Office Bearer of the Minerals Council in 2021, stepped in as caretaker President in December 2024 and was elected President at the AGM on 28 May 2025. He is a champion of the Minerals Council Women in Mining initiatives and the MOSH Noise Committee. During his tenure he has made an immense contribution.

• 
  Vice President: Mpumi Zikalala

  Vice President: Mpumi Zikalala

  BSc (Chemical Engineering), Wits University; Leadership Development Programme, London Business School

  Mpumi Zikalala has been the CEO of Kumba Iron Ore since 1 January 2022. She is on the Kumba Board as an executive director and is Chair of the operating entity, Sishen Iron Ore Company (Pty) Ltd. She also serves as a Vice President of the Minerals Council of South Africa.

  She started her career at De Beers in 2001 as a process engineer and worked in various leadership roles within production management. In 2007, she was appointed General Manager at De Beers Kimberley Mines, becoming the first female General Manager in the De Beers Group. In 2010, she was appointed General Manager of De Beers Voorspoed Mine and three and a half years later became Senior Vice-President of De Beers Sightholder Sales South Africa. Mpumi was promoted to Deputy CEO of De Beers Consolidated Mines in November 2017 and to the position of Managing Director, De Beers Group Managed Operations, in April 2019, covering De Beers Group's operations in South Africa and Canada.

  Mpumi previously served as a non-executive director of various companies including the Black Management Forum and Mintek. She was a winner of the 2018 Top 100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining, awarded in Mayfield, London.

  Mpumi previously served as a non-executive director of various companies including the Black Management Forum and Mintek. She was a winner of the 2018 Top 100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining, awarded in Mayfield, London.

• 
  Vice President: Dr Richard Stewart

  Vice President: Dr Richard Stewart

  BSc (Hons), PhD (Geology), University of the Witwatersrand; MBA, Warwick Business School (UK); PrSciNat

  Richard Stewart has held the position of Chief Regional Officer: Southern Africa from 31 May 2022, subsequent to being the Group Chief Operating Officer (COO) from 1 December 2020. Prior to being COO, Richard was the Executive Vice President: Business Development at Sibanye-Stillwater. Richard has more than 25 years’ experience in South Africa’s geological and mining industries and is a Vice President of the Minerals Council of South Africa, Fellow of the Geological Society of South Africa and a Registered Natural Scientist. He joined the Group in 2014, and has contributed significantly to a successful and value-accretive acquisition and growth strategy.

  Prior to joining Sibanye-Stillwater, he served on the Gold One Executive Committee from 2009, where his last appointment was Executive Vice President: Technical Services. Prior to this Richard served as CEO of Goliath Gold Limited, held management positions at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Mining Technology division, Dunrose Trading 186 Proprietary Limited trading as Shango Solutions and Uranium One, and was an investment consultant for African Global Capital Proprietary Limited.

  Richard’s appointment as CEO designate and executive director takes effect from 1 March 2025, while continuing his CRO: SA region responsibilities. He will succeed Neal Froneman as CEO on 1 October 2025.