Former De Beers CEO appointed to AngloGold Ashanti board

Published Jul 18, 2024

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AngloGold Ashanti has appointed former De Beers CEO Bruce Clever to its board of directors as an independent non-executive director.

Last month, AngloGold Ashanti said all of its operations had been certified as conflict-free amid rising concerns that conflict minerals, including illegally mined and smuggled metals such as gold and diamonds could be fuelling human rights abuses in Africa.

Though some parts of the DRC where the company also operates had been ranked as escalated to a full-scale war under the 2022 Heidelberg Institute’s Conflict Barometer, AngloGold Ashanti said its Kibali mine operations managed by the group’s joint venture partner Barrick Gold Corporation were not located in the conflict zones.

Cleaver will serve on AngloGold Ashanti’s social, ethics and sustainability committee as well as on its audit and risk committee.

Cleaver served as CEO of De Beers from 2016 to early 2023 before being appointed as co-chair of the diamond miner until the end of 2023, having joined the company as general counsel back in 2005.

AngloGold Ashanti has also announced the appointment of Nicky Newton-King as independent non-executive director serving as a member of the gold miner’s compensation and human resources and social, ethics and sustainability committees.

Jochen Tilk, AngloGold Ashanti chairperson, said appointments of the new board members “brings to the board extensive executive and leadership experience, coupled with wide-ranging expertise that includes capital markets, strategy and commercial insights” across developed and developing markets.

“Their perspectives will be invaluable as we continue to create value for our shareholders,” said Tilk.

Newton King is non-executive director at MTN Group, and Investec while she also chairs the Stellenbosch University Council. Newton-King served as CEO of the JSE until 2019, having joined the bourse in 1996, holding executive roles before elevation to the CEO position.

“Newton-King is a corporate finance and securities regulation lawyer and brings extensive legal, business, regulatory and capital markets experience to the board, as well as knowledge of sustainability matters,” said AngloGold Ashanti.

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