Coverage across the continent
Completed senior mandates span West, Central, Southern and East Africa, from gold and nickel to steel, iron ore and the rail and port infrastructure that brings an asset to market. Each mandate below is shown by country, role and company tier; client names are held in confidence.
Completed senior mandates by country: a representative selection of Paul Templeton's appointments in Africa.
Recent mandate record
West Africa
Central Africa
Southern Africa
East Africa
In African mining, one appointment holds the licence
Across Africa's mining countries, the relationship with the state is now the largest risk a company can control, ahead of the orebody, the metal price or the plant. That relationship is usually held, or lost, by one person: the country leader or General Manager on the ground.
The state's role has changed. It used to collect a royalty and stand back. Today it commonly owns a share of the mine, sets how much of the ore must be processed at home, and controls the licence. That has rewritten the job. The old brief called for a mining engineer who could run an asset; the work now is negotiation and politics, done by the person who also runs the mine.
The qualities that decide whether such a leader succeeds (government handling, political judgement and integrity under pressure) are the ones standard hiring assessment measures least well.
Leadership appointments across Africa
Board & C-suite
Chief Executive, Chief Financial and Chief Operating Officer mandates for operators from junior to major, assessed for leadership character, strategic capability and the judgement to hold the relationship with the state.
Country & regional leadership
General Managers and country leaders who carry the geopolitical, community and regulatory weight of an operation: appointments where a wrong choice can cost production and, at worst, the licence.
Project & technical leadership
Project Directors and senior technical leaders for greenfield and brownfield development, and for the rail, ports and processing infrastructure that brings African assets to market.
Frequently asked questions
What does a mining executive search firm do in Africa?
It identifies and assesses senior leaders for mining and metals operators across Africa on a retained, exclusive basis: board and C-suite appointments, country and regional leadership, and project and technical leadership. Templeton Global Search runs every mandate personally through its founder.
Which countries in Africa has Templeton Global Search completed mandates in?
Completed senior mandates on this page span Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mauritania, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Madagascar, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Tanzania. Client names are held in confidence; roles are listed by country and company tier above.
Why does country leadership matter so much in African mining?
Because across Africa’s mining countries the state is now commonly a shareholder, regulator and partner at once. The relationship between the company and the government is usually held, or lost, by the country leader or General Manager on the ground, which makes that appointment the largest controllable risk on the asset.
Further reading
Our long-form analysis of leadership in African mining: The Resident Diplomat, on how Africa's mines are run now the state is shareholder, regulator and partner, and the three qualities that define effective country leadership. See all insights.
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