Africa Mining Forum Advisory Board
Our objective in 2021 is to pursue the commitment we made to the industry and provide relevant touchpoints for mining companies, investors, assets managers and key government stakeholders eager to engage and deploy capital in Africa's mining.
Africa Mining Forum Advisory Board support the direction that our team is taking when it comes to identifying the right content, focus and project looking at the challenges that the industry is facing and how it will affect the investment decision making.
Their unique expertise and approach of the market brings trust and accuracy to our community, ensuring 365 days a year of valuable engagement.
Africa Mining Forum Advisory Board support the direction that our team is taking when it comes to identifying the right content, focus and project looking at the challenges that the industry is facing and how it will affect the investment decision making.
Their unique expertise and approach of the market brings trust and accuracy to our community, ensuring 365 days a year of valuable engagement.
Hubert Danso
CEO and Chairman
Africa investor
Africa investor
Hubert is Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chairman of Africa Investor (Ai) Group. He is responsible for advising institutional investors, governments and development finance institutions on major infrastructure and private equity investments in Africa. He is also the Managing Editor of Africa investor magazine.
Hubert established Africa investor in 2002, after leaving the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Paris, where he was the Senior Adviser for African Affairs, responsible for Advising the world's largest corporations and institutional investors on investments in Africa. He holds an LLB in Business Law and an LL.M Masters in International Commercial Law from the University of Sussex in England.
Hubert established Africa investor in 2002, after leaving the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Paris, where he was the Senior Adviser for African Affairs, responsible for Advising the world's largest corporations and institutional investors on investments in Africa. He holds an LLB in Business Law and an LL.M Masters in International Commercial Law from the University of Sussex in England.
Duncan Harris
President
Australia Africa Chamber of Commerce
Duncan Harris has a longstanding interest in trade and investment with Africa.
A former Special Adviser to the Commonwealth Business Council in London, Duncan had established strong Africa connections. On becoming President of the AACC in early 2018, he determined to put in place the building blocks that would establish the Chamber as the peak body for such business. His fundamental objective was to make the AACC the conduit to Africa. To do so, he set about creating a series of Partnerships with major bodies – both Government and private. These now include Austrade, Export Finance Australia and DFAT and with Africa based organisations that provide the all-important on-ground intelligence and access such as Asoko Insight, Invest Africa, Trade Advisory, IHS – Markit and this culminating in Road-Map 2020.
Duncan is the Founder and Executive Chairman of the Mossgiel Group, notable for its Corporate Advisory work, and is a director of the privately held Kilmour Investments, which has major investments in the forestry industry along with real estate and other asset classes.
Australia Africa Chamber of Commerce
Duncan Harris has a longstanding interest in trade and investment with Africa.
A former Special Adviser to the Commonwealth Business Council in London, Duncan had established strong Africa connections. On becoming President of the AACC in early 2018, he determined to put in place the building blocks that would establish the Chamber as the peak body for such business. His fundamental objective was to make the AACC the conduit to Africa. To do so, he set about creating a series of Partnerships with major bodies – both Government and private. These now include Austrade, Export Finance Australia and DFAT and with Africa based organisations that provide the all-important on-ground intelligence and access such as Asoko Insight, Invest Africa, Trade Advisory, IHS – Markit and this culminating in Road-Map 2020.
Duncan is the Founder and Executive Chairman of the Mossgiel Group, notable for its Corporate Advisory work, and is a director of the privately held Kilmour Investments, which has major investments in the forestry industry along with real estate and other asset classes.
William Witham
CEO
Australia-Africa Minerals & Energy Group
William has held senior executive roles across the Australian and African resources sector for over two decades and has worked directly in Namibia, Botswana, Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Egypt, Niger and Kenya. His further experience in member-based organisation leadership, including with the Chamber of Minerals & Energy WA (Government Relations and Policy), National Party WA (Corporate Director) and South Coast Natural Resource Management Inc. (Chair), will be invaluable.
A country boy at heart, William hails from Esperance and holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Western Australia with honours in Geology. In 2005, he completed a leadership development program with the Australian Institute of Management.
Australia-Africa Minerals & Energy Group
William has held senior executive roles across the Australian and African resources sector for over two decades and has worked directly in Namibia, Botswana, Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Egypt, Niger and Kenya. His further experience in member-based organisation leadership, including with the Chamber of Minerals & Energy WA (Government Relations and Policy), National Party WA (Corporate Director) and South Coast Natural Resource Management Inc. (Chair), will be invaluable.
A country boy at heart, William hails from Esperance and holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Western Australia with honours in Geology. In 2005, he completed a leadership development program with the Australian Institute of Management.
Laura Cornish
Managing Editor
Mining Review Africa
Having achieved the highest marks in her class for her Honours year in journalism, Laura began her career in the mid-2000s as a mining journalist and quickly progressed to the position of editor for her first mining journal just two years later. Today Laura has gather in excess of 16-years of experience in mining editing and reporting and has become recognised as a leader in her field within the African mining industry. Laura has travelled extensively across Africa and internationally, both underground and on surface, and in doing so has developed a technically sound and extensive knowledge of the mining industry which equates to quality content excellence. Today Laura is the Editor-In-Chief of Mining Review Africa magazine and miningreview.com and also fulfils the role of Head of Content for Clarion Events Africa’s Mining division. In these two roles Laura is responsible for generating and overseeing industry-relevant content for the African mining industry, delivering a quality publication, website and three well-known digital/live events – Africa Mining Forum, DRC Mining Week and Nigeria Mining Week.
Mining Review Africa
Having achieved the highest marks in her class for her Honours year in journalism, Laura began her career in the mid-2000s as a mining journalist and quickly progressed to the position of editor for her first mining journal just two years later. Today Laura has gather in excess of 16-years of experience in mining editing and reporting and has become recognised as a leader in her field within the African mining industry. Laura has travelled extensively across Africa and internationally, both underground and on surface, and in doing so has developed a technically sound and extensive knowledge of the mining industry which equates to quality content excellence. Today Laura is the Editor-In-Chief of Mining Review Africa magazine and miningreview.com and also fulfils the role of Head of Content for Clarion Events Africa’s Mining division. In these two roles Laura is responsible for generating and overseeing industry-relevant content for the African mining industry, delivering a quality publication, website and three well-known digital/live events – Africa Mining Forum, DRC Mining Week and Nigeria Mining Week.
Ian Kortlang
Executive Chairman
Africapractice
Ian is the Executive Chairman of Africa Practice in Australia.
Prior to establishing his own consulting business operating at the intersect of politics and business, Ian had a successful career as a political strategist, public sector executive, diplomat and army officer. This included serving as a diplomat from 1973-80, and acting as chief of staff and campaign strategist for the State Leader of the Opposition, Director-General of the Department of State Development in New South Wales and Chief of Staff to the Federal Leader of the Opposition during the late 1980s. He also has significant experience in Africa, setting up a Zambia-based development consultancy, which established operations across six African countries. Ian holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Politics, Philosophy and International Relations. He is also the Founding President of the Australia-Africa Business Council.
Africapractice
Ian is the Executive Chairman of Africa Practice in Australia.
Prior to establishing his own consulting business operating at the intersect of politics and business, Ian had a successful career as a political strategist, public sector executive, diplomat and army officer. This included serving as a diplomat from 1973-80, and acting as chief of staff and campaign strategist for the State Leader of the Opposition, Director-General of the Department of State Development in New South Wales and Chief of Staff to the Federal Leader of the Opposition during the late 1980s. He also has significant experience in Africa, setting up a Zambia-based development consultancy, which established operations across six African countries. Ian holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Politics, Philosophy and International Relations. He is also the Founding President of the Australia-Africa Business Council.
Alfonso Tejerina
Executive Director
Global Business Reports
Alfonso Tejerina is a journalist with a double degree from Complutense University in Madrid and Jean Moulin University in Lyon. He also has a Master’s Degree in International Politics and Human Rights from the City University of London. Alfonso started his journalist career as writer and broadcaster for Pan-European TV channel EuroNews, based in France. After a year as head of Spanish content for online trading company IG Group, in London, in 2007 he joined Global Business Reports (GBR), a publishing house specialized in the production of extensive industry reports all around the world. He has held different positions in GBR and has lived in countries such as China, India, Turkey, Canada, the U.S., Argentina, Mexico, Chile and Peru. As a reporter he has covered the mining and metals sector, the petrochemical and chemical industries, and the power and oil and gas segments. He was GBR’s Regional Manager for the Americas for three years, and today he serves as Director and General Manager based in Madrid.
Global Business Reports
Alfonso Tejerina is a journalist with a double degree from Complutense University in Madrid and Jean Moulin University in Lyon. He also has a Master’s Degree in International Politics and Human Rights from the City University of London. Alfonso started his journalist career as writer and broadcaster for Pan-European TV channel EuroNews, based in France. After a year as head of Spanish content for online trading company IG Group, in London, in 2007 he joined Global Business Reports (GBR), a publishing house specialized in the production of extensive industry reports all around the world. He has held different positions in GBR and has lived in countries such as China, India, Turkey, Canada, the U.S., Argentina, Mexico, Chile and Peru. As a reporter he has covered the mining and metals sector, the petrochemical and chemical industries, and the power and oil and gas segments. He was GBR’s Regional Manager for the Americas for three years, and today he serves as Director and General Manager based in Madrid.
Jacob Thamage
Founder
Rockview Advisory
Jacob Thamage, a mining and mineral policy expert, joins the ANRC as a Chief Mining Officer. He has over 25 years of experience working for the Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources in Botswana. Over this period where he was accountable for regulatory functions in the minerals value chain. Namely project evaluation at exploitation, mining, processing and marketing. He also served on policy organs advising the State on water development, investments and commercial arrangements with mining companies.
Jacob led the Botswana team in the negotiations and implementation of the Kimberley Process Certification scheme from 2002 to 2016. He has also represented the country in the development of the SADC Mining Protocol and contributions to the development of the African Mining Vision. He was focal point in discussions between the country the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative International Secretariat.
Jacob holds a B. Engineering (Mining) from the Technical University of Nova Scotia, Halifax, and an MBA from Nijenrode University, Breukelen NL.
Rockview Advisory
Jacob Thamage, a mining and mineral policy expert, joins the ANRC as a Chief Mining Officer. He has over 25 years of experience working for the Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources in Botswana. Over this period where he was accountable for regulatory functions in the minerals value chain. Namely project evaluation at exploitation, mining, processing and marketing. He also served on policy organs advising the State on water development, investments and commercial arrangements with mining companies.
Jacob led the Botswana team in the negotiations and implementation of the Kimberley Process Certification scheme from 2002 to 2016. He has also represented the country in the development of the SADC Mining Protocol and contributions to the development of the African Mining Vision. He was focal point in discussions between the country the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative International Secretariat.
Jacob holds a B. Engineering (Mining) from the Technical University of Nova Scotia, Halifax, and an MBA from Nijenrode University, Breukelen NL.
