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We maintain our conviction in Exxaro’s Sustainable Growth and Impact strategy. In the year ahead, we will focus on meeting customer demand, driving safe, disciplined and efficient production, and creating value for stakeholders.
Refer to the ESG report for details on our executive committee.
| Key | |
| Executive director | |
| Executive committee | |
Executive head: coal
Appointed 1 November 2025
Degree in Mining Engineering, MBA and a Government Certificate of Competency for fiery mines
Caroline has a distinguished 20-year career in the coal mining industry and most recently served as vice president of operations at Secunda Collieries, responsible for five collieries producing over 32 million tonnes of coal annually and managing a workforce of approximately 8 000 employees. Caroline holds a mining engineering degree, an MBA and a Government Certificate of Competency for fiery mines, and is recognised as a leader in operational excellence, transformation and talent development.

Executive head: energy
Appointed 1 April 2023
CA(SA), associate member of CIMA
Leon joined Exxaro (then Iscor) in 1997. During this time, he occupied the following roles: manager: finance and administration (1997 to 1999); head of finance: coal (1999 to 2011); performance manager: growth (2012 to 2014); group manager: strategic investments (2015 to 2016); general manager: corporate finance (2016 to 2019); and was seconded to Exxaro’s energy solutions business from 2019 to date. He was appointed as managing director of the energy business in 2023. His skills include leadership in various teams, strategic planning and execution, finance and deal making.
Executive head: sustainability
Appointed 1 April 2015 (retiring 31 July 2026)
HDip (Metalliferous Mining and Coal Mining) (University of Johannesburg), MBL (Unisa), Advanced Management Programme (Wharton), Mine Overseer’s Certificate, Mine Manager’s Certificate of Competency (fiery mines)
Since the start of his career, Mongezi has earned extensive mining experience in the gold, platinum and coal sectors. He is a certificated professional engineer registered with the Engineering Council of South Africa. Mongezi was third in the Sustainability magazine’s top 10 chief sustainability officers in 2022.
Designate executive head: sustainability
Appointed 1 November 2025
MBA (GIBS), BTech (Mining Engineering) (University of Johannesburg), National Diploma (Mining Engineering)
Neo brings more than 20 years of mining and energy experience, most recently as general manager of Greenside and Khwezela Collieries at Thungela Resources where she oversaw both underground and opencast operations, with an excellent safety record. She is a member of the South African Colliery Managers’ Association.

Executive head: metals
Appointed 1 April 2015
BEng (Metallurgy) (University of Pretoria), MBA (University of Stellenbosch), Advanced Management Programme (INSEAD), Certified Director (IoDSA)
Johan started his career in production management at Iscor’s Pretoria steel works. He worked at KZN Sands, headed research and development at Kumba Resources as part of the leadership team of Mineral Sands (Tronox), and was BU manager of Zincor and Exxaro corporate office. His current role focuses on delivering coal growth projects of approximately R20 billion, developing integrated Resource and Reserve LoM plans and supporting implementation of the metals strategy. He is passionate about leading people and powering better lives.
Executive head: strategy and business development
Appointed 1 April 2015
BSc (Eng) (University of Cape Town), MA (Business Administration) (Wits)
Richard has almost 30 years of engineering, consulting and investment banking experience. Having started his career working at Eskom’s power stations and then at EL Bateman in project management, Richard joined Marsh McLellan as an enterprise risk consultant, consulting primarily to the mining sector globally. Richard later joined Standard Chartered Bank as a mining investment banker, eventually leading the Southern Africa M&A team, originating and executing on a range of transactions across mining and metals, oil and gas, renewable energy, industrial and agricultural sector deals across Africa.
Executive head: people and performance
Appointed 16 October 2023
BA (Hons), MA (University of Essex, UK), ACA (UK), Advanced Management Programme (INSEAD)
Joseph is a chartered accountant with over 30 years’ experience across consulting and the public and private sectors. He has spent the past 16 years holding various roles across the human capital value chain, most recently as the group head of people experience and chief operating officer for people and culture at Absa Group Limited, spanning 10 countries across Africa. He has held various board roles, including 10 years as a non-executive director of Shoprite Holdings Limited, serving four years as chair of the remuneration committee.

Executive head: technical services
Appointed 1 June 2025
BEng (Mechanical), BEng Mining (Hons) and MEng (Mining) (University of Pretoria), MBA (University of Stellenbosch), Executive Leadership Program (University of Texas, Austin, USA)
Mervin is a seasoned executive with a proven track record in mining, engineering, mineral separation and smelter industries. He has strong processing, project management, maintenance and operations experience. His career started in the automotive industry in 1992 before moving into mining in 2003 as manager: capital projects and energy at Anglo American’s Namakwa Sands. He joined Exxaro in 2006 following Namakwa Sands’ incorporation into Exxaro Resources Limited. Mervin held the position of BU manager for Namakwa’s Northern operations from 2009 to 2011. He was subsequently appointed as general manager of Exxaro’s Grootegeluk complex (2011 to 2014). In 2015, Mervin joined Exxaro’s head office as group manager: value engineering, restructuring the technology function to improve business efficiency, streamline structures and costs, and optimising the company’s projects portfolio. In 2016, he was appointed general manager: project management, where he coordinated Exxaro’s multidisciplinary mega projects portfolio to ensure performance aligned with business requirements, organisational objectives and sound project management practice.

Executive head: commercial
Appointed 1 November 2025
BCom (Hons) Marketing, Human Resources and Procurement, Masters in Business Leadership (Unisa Business School of Leadership), Senior Leadership Programmes (London Business School)
Fortune is a seasoned commercial and supply chain leader with extensive experience spanning the mining, energy, transport, and financial sectors. With a proven track record in driving operational excellence and embedding sustainable procurement practices, Fortune brings over three decades of strategic leadership and transformation expertise. He completed an executive programme in Business Management at the Wirtschaft Akademie in Germany, as well as corporate governance and senior executive training at the London Business School. Fortune is widely recognised for his ability to build high-performing teams, foster collaborative partnerships and deliver measurable value across complex commercial environments.

Group company secretary, governance
Appointed 1 May 2024
LLB, Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute of Southern Africa
Michelle has over 30 years of company secretarial experience over multiple geographies on the continent and offshore. She is a fellow of the South African Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, and law graduate.
| * | Exxaro policy requires all employees, including executives, to retire at the age of 63. |
| ** | The Exxaro executive team has more than 87 years of combined service since Exxaro’s inception. |
