Business Times reports that the Minerals Council SA (MCSA), which was previously called the Chamber of Mines, has delayed the departure of its outgoing CEO, Roger Baxter, while the search for his successor continues.

MCSA spokesperson Allan Seccombe indicated last week that Baxter had, in agreement with the board, extended his tenure until the end of June. “The process to find a new CEO is led by the Minerals Council’s nominations committee and it is making progress,” said Seccombe. In October, the council announced Baxter would step down when his contract expired at the end of April, marking the end of almost nine years at the helm. Mining industry experts said the next incumbent would likely be someone from within the industry who had experienced the complexities of the sector. Bernard Swanepoel, Joburg Indaba chair and former Harmony Gold CEO, said Baxter had been the right man at the time, but times were different now. “We are not looking for another Roger, but for someone who can be the ‘chief lobbyist’ in a very critical time of recalibrating relationships between stakeholders. I believe there are many suitable candidates within the industry, but the remuneration structures of the council may need to be modernised to attract the right person,” he said. Makhosi Nyamela of FNB Wealth and Investments said diplomacy was key for the new ncumbent.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Dineo Faku at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page