CEO Transition at Gold Fields
Following the departure of Chris Griffith in late 2022, Gold Fields had Martin Preece acting as an interim CEO. Now, Gold Fields, South Africa's preeminent gold producer and the largest in Africa, has announced a new CEO. Starting January 1, 2024, former South32 executive Mike Fraser will helm the company.
Mike Fraser: A Return to Beginnings
The appointment signifies a homecoming for Fraser, a South African national. He commenced his professional journey in the mining domain post earning an MBA from the University of South Africa. Starting in 2001, he served in the human resources segment of mining behemoth BHP. His trajectory included managing the Mozal Aluminium Smelter project in Mozambique by 2009 and subsequently transitioning to South32 in 2015, a BHP spin-off.
While at South32, Fraser was at the forefront, overseeing its global aluminum, nickel, South African manganese, and energy coal ventures for over half a decade. Holding the roles of president and COO, he made his exit in early 2022 to steer Chaarat Gold as its CEO.