Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited (Harmony) has appointed Beyers Nel as Group CEO and executive director of the company, with effect from 1 January 2025. He will succeed the current group CEO, Peter Steenkamp, who retires at the end of December 2024. Steenkamp was appointed CEO of Harmony nine years ago. Further, Floyd Masemula has been appointed deputy group chief executive officer.
Nel has been with Harmony since 2003 and has held various positions, most notably that of chief operating officer of South Africa since 2016. He was appointed group COO in January 2023. Nel has 24 years’ experience in the gold mining industry during which he had various operational, management and executive responsibilities – on opencast, deep and ultra-deep level mines. He is past president of the Association of Mine Managers of South Africa and serves as chair of the board of the Mines Rescue Services (Pty) Ltd. Nel has a mining engineering degree from the University of Pretoria and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
The Harmony Board also appointed Masemula as deputy group chief executive officer with effect from 1 January 2025, due to the importance and the focus that is required for the South African mines. Masemula is currently executive operating officer of the South African operations. His primary responsibility will be to continue his current leadership of the South African operations.
New Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited Group CEO, Beyers Nel. All images supplied Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited
Masemula has two decades of experience in various operational, management and executive roles in the gold and platinum mining sectors, covering diverse mining methods including ultra-deep level, pillar and open cast mining. Prior to joining Harmony in July 2023, he held the positions of senior vice president and head of Mining at Sibanye-Stillwater’s platinum’s division. Masemula was previously regional general manager at Harmony’s Kusasalethu, Doornkop and Kalgold operations and occupied various general manager roles at AngloGold Ashanti. He served two terms as a council member of the Association of Mine Managers of South Africa. He is a qualified mining engineer and has an MBA from WITS Business School and also obtained various other management qualifications.
Floyd Masemula has as been appointed Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited deputy group CEO.
In welcoming Nel and Masemula, Harmony chair, Dr Patrice Motsepe, said, “Beyers Nel will provide operational continuity along with strong mining leadership and will continue with the excellent work and results that Harmony has been producing under the capable leadership of Peter Steenkamp. Nel and Masemula, together with the world-class management team at Harmony, will provide operational leadership during the next exciting growth phase of the company.
“I also want to express my deep personal gratitude and the gratitude of the Harmony Board, its shareholders, employees and stakeholders to Peter Steenkamp for the outstanding leadership that he has provided as CEO of Harmony since 2016. We wish Peter everything of the best with his new endeavours and he will forever be part of the Harmony family.”
Source: supplied by Harmony