Newmont Mining Corporation has appointed Alwyn Pretorius to lead the Company’s Africa business effective March 28, 2016, ClassFMonline.com has gathered.

Mr. Pretorius most recently served as Chief Operating Officer of Harmony, one of South Africa’s premier gold producers.

“Alwyn brings 20 years’ experience in the gold sector to Newmont, and has successfully managed portfolios of up to 10 mines with annual production of 1.3 million ounces of gold. He has also achieved step change improvements in safety and productivity and forged strong stakeholder relationships throughout his career. We are confident that his experience and expertise will help us build on our strong performance in Africa, and deliver our strategy to create safer and more efficient operations, a stronger portfolio and more value for shareholders and other stakeholders,” Gary Goldberg, President and Chief Executive Officer said in a statement.

Mr. Pretorius has served in leadership roles at Harmony and ARMgold. His expertise includes delivering significant safety, sustainability and productivity improvements and forging strong stakeholder relationships.

Mr. Pretorius earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Industrial Engineering and Mining Engineering from the University of Pretoria, and was Chairman of the South African Mines Rescue Services Board.

Newmont’s Africa region includes two operations in Ghana, the continent’s second largest gold producer after South Africa.

Ahafo began commercial production in August 2006 and Akyem poured first gold in October 2013. The regional team recently secured a new Investment Agreement and energy supply reliability in Ghana; maintained one of Newmont’s lowest injury rates and cost profiles at Akyem; and advanced value accretive projects at Ahafo to counter the impacts of lower grades and harder ore.

Decisions to fund these projects – including a mill expansion and the new Subika underground mine – will be reached in the second half of 2016.

In 2015, Newmont reduced all-in sustaining costs by 10 percent and increased adjusted EBITDA by 29 percent despite a nine percent drop in realized gold price.

The Company also lowered net debt by 19 per cent while continuing to invest in growth by acquiring Cripple Creek & Victor in Colorado; advancing five profitable development projects in the US, Australia and Suriname; and adding five million ounces of gold reserves by the drill bit.

Newmont is a leading gold and copper producer. The Company employs approximately 29,000 employees and contractors, with the majority working at managed operations in the United States, Australia, Ghana, Peru, Indonesia and Suriname. Newmont is the only gold producer listed in the S&P 500 index and was named the mining industry leader by the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index in 2015. The Company is an industry leader in value creation, supported by its leading technical, environmental, social and safety performance. Newmont was founded in 1921 and has been publicly traded since 1925.