Zambia : Silicon Valley’s start-up, KoBold Metals appoints Mfikeyi Makayi as first female mining CEO

KoBold Metals, a Silicon Valley start-up, has appointed Mfikeyi Makayi as CEO of its copper unit in Zambia, the first female of such for the country.

The appointment breaks a ceiling as mining is a male-dominated sector. Besides, data from S&P Global Market Intelligence shows that female executives at global metals and mining companies held just over 11% of C-suite positions in 2022.

Makayi told journalists in an interview that being “the first Zambian woman running an exploration or even a mining company in the country… (Mining) is something that will drive her country’s economy into the future if we get this right.”

Zambian-born Makayi holds a master’s degree in mining engineering from the Camborne School of Mines. She worked for Canadian miners First Quantum Minerals and Caterpillar prior to taking up her current position.

In the same manner, Zambian president, Hakainde Hichilema has applauded the appointment and raised the belief that Mfikeyi being at the helm would play a critical role in achieving the country’s ambitions to increase copper output.

Zambia is Africa’s second-biggest producer of copper, which is in high demand for the transition to a low-carbon economy and its government currently aims to boost the country’s copper production to 3 million tonnes a year by 2032, from around 850,000 tonnes last year.

First published in Africa News Watch

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