MEET OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM
Meet the team behind our success.
RASHID KADER
Mr Kader is an accomplished executive and Chemical Engineer with 25+ years of exemplary leadership in the metallurgical industry, showcasing a remarkable ability to drive business growth and ensure safe operations. Mr Kader maintains an unwavering commitment to a zero-harm culture, achieving an injury-free record benchmarked among the world's best. As a visionary leader, Mr Kader excels in strategic planning, operational optimization, and team leadership. He is highly skilled at streamlining operational processes, ensuring superior product quality, cost efficiency and developing high-performing teams. Beyond his executive role, Mr Kader actively serves on a number of subsidiary group company boards, guiding businesses towards profitability, efficiency, and instilling a zero-harm ethos. Mr Kader forward-thinking approach keeps him at the forefront of the industry. His deep industry knowledge and insight drives innovation and upholds a competitive edge. He has played a key role in expanding business into new geographical areas. Known for his collaborative leadership style, Mr Kader fosters motivation and cultivates a positive work environment, leading to continuous improvement and employee development. As a thought leader in the metallurgical industry, Mr Kader actively participates in professional associations such as MMMA, SAIMM, and SAMMRI earning recognition for leading safety initiatives in operations.
Lucas Ngobeni
Lucas is an experienced metallurgist with proven track record in mineral processing, particularly PGM concentrating and coal handling and processing. Lucas is experienced in optimizing plant operations and building cohesive, high-performance teams. Lucas has spent the past 26 years in plant operations and management roles, 20 of which have been with Minopex.
Wessel Phumo
Wessel has over 35 years’ experience in the mining industry. He holds a BTech Degree in Mining Engineering, National and National Higher Diplomas in Mining Engineering, and a Certificate Programme in Leadership Development from Wits Business School. Wessels has gained experience from many mining houses throughout his career and built extensive knowledge in underground and open pit, in both platinum and gold.
Radesh Sukhdeo
Radesh has over 33 years’ experience in the mining and construction industry. He holds qualifications in Electrical, Mechanical and Instrumentation incl Management for Scientists and Engineers certification. Radesh has a sound track record on optimizing Plant Operations, Asset Management and Technology implementations. Radesh has experience in various commodities and plant commission and ramp-up including Platinum, Base Metals and Phosphate.
ELGIE BLIGNAUT
Elgie has earned 27 years of experience in Human Resources having worked for local and international organisations across Financial Services, Mining & Resources, and Information & Communications Technology (ICT) industries. Elgie has worked at various mining operations and most recently was leading the HR transition from surface to underground mining operations at De Beers’ Venetia mine, a 2,5 billion U$D project. He has also successfully headed up large scale restructuring and change management programmes at Business Unit and Enterprise level in all the industries he has worked and has an excellent delivery track record both as an HR Generalist and as an Employee Relations Specialist.
Nicolette Uys
Nicolette is a Chartered Accountant who completed her articles with PwC in South Africa in 2006. She assumed the role of VP – Finance at Minopex in September 2018. She manages the financial department of the Minopex Group and is responsible for financial controls, reporting and compliance on a day-to-day basis. Prior to her appointment, Nicolette previously held the role of Group Financial Controller – Operations at Petra Diamonds Ltd, with responsibility for financial management across the Petra Group’s operations. She has 15 years’ experience in the mining industry.
PIET OTTO
Piet has been proficient in the thermal and coking coal industry for the past 40 years and our Senior Vice President Operations. In his various senior management and executive operational positions, he had ample opportunity to adapt and apply innovative, flexible, and creative business management and coal processing knowledge and experience to challenging circumstances and environments. His vast experience includes all aspects of the coal value chain, from an impeccable coal processing knowledge to product marketing, exports, auditing, process plant management and business management. Piet is an NHD Extraction Metallurgy graduate (Technicon Witwatersrand). He completed the Management Development Programme qualification from the Unisa School for Business Leadership. Piet completed an International Export Marketing Diploma.
MPHO NKGODI
Mpho has nearly 20 years’ experience in the mining, metals and built environment sectors. Mpho is a professional engineer by trade (ECSA, Pr. Eng 20120373), holds a B.Eng (Hons) Civil Engineering Degree from the University of Johannesburg and also a MBA from Wits Business School. Prior to joining Minopex as head of business development, Mpho served in various roles for SENET which included having acted in project execution roles on several precious and base metals projects and studies in central and west Africa.
PAUL THOMSON
Paul has earned more than 28 years’ experience in the mining industry. He holds a BEng in Metallurgical Engineering and a National Diploma in Nuclear Technology and has completed executive development courses at Cranfield University. Throughout his career, Paul has worked at various mining companies in multi-level positions ranging from operator to CEO. Paul’s commodity experience is substantial and includes extensive experience in Copper, Platinum, Iron, Zirconia and Vermiculite processing, in addition to. He has a working knowledge of gold processing and open pit planning.
Lance Baldwin
Lance is a supply chain specialist with extensive experience. He has 28 years’ end-to-end supply chain and supply chain consulting experience. He is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) and holds the MCIPS (Chartered Status) designation. He holds Master of Science degree, a Bachelor of Commerce Honours degree, as well as holding the designation of Certified Purchasing Manager through the Institute of Purchasing and Supply. Lance has held many strategic positions in local and multinational companies and added great value through unlocking untapped value in supply chains.
Sajid Iqbal
Sajid has earned more than 28 years’ experience having worked on various projects in South Africa, Saudi Arabia and within the African continent under the Minopex / DRA Saudi Arabia. His knowledge includes extensive mining experience in the Gold, Coal, and Platinum industries. Sajid holds a B. Eng. (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering as well as a Government Certificate of Competency (Mines and Works). Sajid was an instrumental member of the team which successfully launched the business in the Middle East, having built strong client relationships and an impressive reputation in the market. Sajid was seconded to a client for a period as the Group engineering manager of all their operational assets in which time he gained a more intimate understanding of the client and geographical area.
Matt van wyk
Matt’s knowledge is rooted in business performance improvements which he has earned across multiple industries. For 20 years Matt has developed keen insight into Lean Thinking, Business Process Optimisation, digitalisation and the application of global best practice. During his career, he has designed and embeded the improvement journey for De Beers, and supported companies like Anglo American, De Beers Marine, Debswana, GEM Diamonds, Anglo Coal, Nando’s, Sasol, Willis Towers Watson and a number of others on their improvement journeys. Matt has a background in Process Engineering and holds a MSc in Lean Operations from Cardiff University. He has 26 years of operational experience and has spent 13 years in consulting.
