Roger Baxter had decided to step down when his contract expires in April, 2023 ending nearly nine years in the leadership role, Minerals Council SA said in a statement yesterday.
This after tirelessly promoting, championing, and protecting the South African mining industry, it said.
The Minerals Council office-bearers have embarked on a process to appoint a new CEO designate to support Baxter through to the conclusion of his contract.
After 30 years of “working really hard in the mining sector”, Baxter said he felt it was time for change and to take a break.
“It’s also time for new leadership at the Minerals Council to help take the industry to the next level and for me to start a new chapter. In due course, I plan to come back and work in this great mining industry,” Baxter said.
Nolitha Fakude, the president of the Minerals Council, said “Roger has led the organisation for nine years through momentous changes and challenging times, playing a key leadership role at the Minerals Council during this period of positive and transformative change.
“He has been an exemplary leader and CEO of the Minerals Council, and he has worked tirelessly to promote and position the mining industry and the country for transformative growth and to #MakingMiningMatter.”
Baxter has played a fundamental leadership role in almost every aspect affecting the mining industry and the SA economy over the past three decades.
“He was part of the teams negotiating a new minerals policy for the country, the new mining charter, the energy policy white paper, the skills development legislation, the various growth strategies, and he led the industry team that negotiated the new world leading practice royalty system,” the Council said.
“Roger, working with what he describes as ‘great office-bearer teams’ and with the full support of the board has helped to reposition the industry by materially addressing many industry and country level issues,” said Fakude.
Under Baxter’s leadership, the Minerals Council inter alia:
∎ Rebranded and renamed the 132-year-old organisation.
∎ Elected the first woman president in its history.
∎ Managed the Covid-19 pandemic better than any other sector by vaccinating 77% of the workforce, thus helping to bail out the economy for two consecutive years.
∎ Helped to create a better legislative and policy environment for the sector through lobbying and legal processes.
∎ Fought state capture and unethical leadership.
∎ Led the mining sector in recording its safest year on record in 2019 through real visible and felt CEO-ship.
∎ Successfully advocated unlocking private sector investment in energy.
∎ Led the sector in research, development, innovation and technology in partnership with the the government.
∎ Drove the debate on climate change and the shared-value community model.
“Roger and the Minerals Council provided a really positive contribution model of ‘rolling up our sleeves’ to deal with the practical issues challenging the country and the industry,” saId Fakude.
“While there is still much more work that needs to be done on several fronts, there is no doubt that a solid foundation has been laid by the Minerals Council and good progress has been made in several areas.
“Under Roger’s leadership, the Minerals Council has become a real force to be reckoned with. We can collectively be immensely proud of the journey and successes achieved by the Minerals Council over the past nine years, and the emergence of the Minerals Council as one of the most effective and respected business advocacy organisations in South Africa,” Fakude said.
BUSINESS REPORT