The key aspect of black economic empowerment (BEE) is that it should never destroy value for the parties involved, the recently appointed chairperson of BHP Billiton (BIL) South Africa, Dr Vincent Maphai, said on Tuesday.
BHP Billiton is the world’s largest diversified resources group and employs 35 000 people.
In January BHP Billiton appointed Maphai to chair its local operations, a position he will assume on May 1. He is currently Corporate Affairs Director for world number two brewer SAB Miller (SAB), based in Johannesburg.
In southern Africa BHP Billiton’s interests include aluminium smelting and the mining of coal, chrome and manganese.
The group is also involved in heavy minerals, via the Richard Bay Minerals joint venture with Rio Tinto, and it has an Energy Unit which is studying the opportunities that will result from the restructuring of South Africa’s electricity supply sector.
“The best BEE schemes are where the company and the empowerment partner have a vested interest in the scheme’s success,” Maphai added at a media briefing.
Part of his role at BHP Billiton South Africa will be to chair the BHP Billiton Development Trust, the Employment Equity Steering Group and lead the BHP Billiton South Africa Public Policy Unit.
“We are happy to see Dr Maphai on the board and we look forward to him developing BHP Billiton South Africa’s profile,” said BHP Billiton executive director Mike Salamon.
BHP Billiton in South Africa sought to appoint a chair for its southern African operations, following the departure from the group of former CEO Brian Gilbertson in early January 2003.
He has a Doctorate in Philosophy from the University of Natal and in 2002 completed the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard University in the US. He was also previously chairperson of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). – I-Net Bridge