Natascha Viljoen, Anglo American Platinum CEO, says she accepted a job at US-based gold company Newmont Corporation because it is in line with her ambition to lead a global mining company.
Viljoen has been Amplats CEO for three years after taking over from Chris Griffith and will join Newmont as COO when her notice of up to a year ends.
In an interview after the release of Amplats’s financial results for the year ended December, Viljoen said she was headhunted for the position.
“I am hoping to one day run a global mining company, but there aren’t many of those around. This is a step in that direction for me. It gives me a chance within the runway that I have to essentially be able to do that. That is why it is such an opportunity for me. I did not go looking for a job. It is important to point that out. I was tapped on the shoulder,” said Viljoen.
On Amplats, she said: “I am excited about the business and the future of the business. In this business, I have received nothing but the support, care and respect that anybody could wish for. I think there is such a huge amount of impact that this business has made in South Africa.”
Amplats, which operates in South Africa and Zimbabwe and is majority owned by Anglo American, this week announced it had declared R30bn in dividends and paid R19bn in royalties and taxes in 2022.
Amplats this week announced a leadership shake up with the appointment of Riaan Blignaut as COO, Wade Bickley as executive head of mining technical and Agit Singh as executive head of processing technical.
Viljoen, who took the helm a month after an explosion at the company's processing facility in March 2020, faced challenges including the decline of grades at the Mogalakwena mine and the delay in rebuilding the Polokwane smelting facility.
During her tenure Amplats launched the world's first hydrogen-fuelled truck. She led the signing of a five-year wage deal last year.
There are rumours that some companies have paid ransoms for CEOs. We also saw Investec paying R2m more [for] security for its executives last year
— Mining analyst
Commenting on Viljoen's decision to leave South Africa, a mining analyst said on condition of anonymity that living here was not easy for company executives.
“There are rumours that some companies have paid ransoms for CEOs. We also saw Investec paying R2m more [for] security for its executives last year,” he said.
Viljoen said the decision to accept the position at Newmont was not related to issues facing South Africa.
“We can collaborate with the government to make an impact. It is important to continue to hold our government accountable [for tackling] crime and corruption — that will play a big role in bringing more security to the country. That was not the reason why I accepted this role.”
The analyst said Newmont was a move up given it was the world's largest multinational gold producer.
“Did she think that she could have gone higher at Anglo American Plc? No, the higher position for her would be group CEO. But a group CEO has been appointed ... If she goes to Newmont as COO there, she could potentially be considered as group CEO at Anglo or Newmont when the CEOs' terms end. The opportunity at Newmont is bigger than being CEO at Amplats.”
Viljoen was previously group head of processing for Anglo American. Her career began at Iscor, as an engineer. She worked at AngloGold and was general manager of BHP’s Klipspruit Colliery before joining Lonmin in 2008.
Group CEO Duncan Wanblad said at the Anglo American results presentation: “When Natascha told me I was very disappointed. The reason I was disappointed is for me not for her. I think it is an incredible opportunity. I am supportive of her taking that opportunity.
“She has done an incredible job in her role as the leader of our platinum group metals business and we are grateful for how she has reset that business and set it on its way. She will be with us for the remainder of the year as we work together to find a successor.”
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