TOP 10 MINING CEOs DRIVING ZIMBABWE’S MINING SECTOR
NOTE: This requires a bit more verification before flighting due to persistent changes and reappointments without much public reveal.
TOP 10 MINING CEOs DRIVING ZIMBABWE’S MINING SECTOR
Mining remains the heartbeat of Zimbabwe’s economy, contributing nearly 70% of the nation’s export earnings.
Gold, platinum, lithium, chrome and coal each sit at the centre of sprawling ecosystems of labour, engineering, investment and national ambition.
Behind the operations and the numbers is a decisive group of CEOs, executives and sector leaders whose strategies are shaping Zimbabwe’s mining story.
FocusOnZim steps into the boardroom to spotlight 10 mining leaders setting the pace in a sector pushing toward a new era of growth and transformation.
1. Alexander Mhembere — Zimplats
A long-serving executive at the helm of Zimbabwe’s largest platinum producer, Mhembere has overseen billions in investment, major underground expansion and extensive community development in Mhondoro-Ngezi. He remains one of the platinum sector’s most influential strategists and a cornerstone of the Great Dyke’s mining story.
2. Simba Chinyemba — Kuvimba Mining House
Chinyemba leads one of Zimbabwe’s fastest-rising multi-commodity groups, with major interests in gold, nickel and platinum. Under his leadership, Kuvimba has revived idle assets, restored confidence in operations once considered unsalvageable and aggressively expanded its portfolio. His blend of turnaround expertise and growth-driven leadership has positioned Kuvimba as a crucial player in the country’s mining landscape.
3. Mark Learmonth — Caledonia Mining Corporation
Learmonth walks the fine line between calculated caution and entrepreneurial optimism. As CEO of Caledonia, he guides one of Zimbabwe’s most stable gold producers through a new growth chapter — including asset expansion and a deepened footprint within Zimbabwe’s gold sector. His leadership has fortified Blanket Mine’s longstanding reputation for consistency.
4. Munashe Shava — Hwange Colliery Company
As the executive leading Zimbabwe’s oldest coal producer through reconstruction, Shava’s role is both technical and stabilising. He is central to restoring operational continuity while navigating financial recovery. His simultaneous position as Board Chairman of ZCDC extends his influence across key mining subsectors.
5. Caleb Dengu — RioZim
Tasked with steering RioZim’s turnaround, Dengu has become the face of restructuring and diversification at one of Zimbabwe’s largest gold and diamond producers. A technocrat and financial engineer, he specialises in rehabilitating complex institutions. His leadership has injected discipline, governance and long-term strategic focus into a company that has weathered significant turbulence.
6. Winston Chitando — Veteran Mining Executive & Sector Influencer
Before his time in government, Chitando held senior roles at Mimosa, Hwange and within the Chamber of Mines. His decades of experience continue to shape national mining policy and investment direction, making him one of the sector’s most enduring and influential voices.
[STILL RESEARCHING ON WHOM TO REPLACE HIM WITH ON THE LIST]
7. Scott Sakupwanya — Better Brands Mining
A major force in the small-scale and artisanal gold economy, Sakupwanya heads one of Zimbabwe’s largest gold-buying and mining-support entities. Through Better Brands, he provides equipment, processing assistance and market access, effectively powering significant portions of the informal-to-formal gold value chain. His rise has cemented his reputation as a bold, enigmatic leader in Zimbabwe’s modern mining economy.
8. James Mufara — Caledonia Mining (Zimbabwe Lead Executive)
With over 25 years in mining, Mufara oversees Blanket Mine’s day-to-day operations and plays a pivotal role in Caledonia’s expansion strategy. He is one of the sector’s most important operational leaders, anchoring production stability while guiding growth projects.
9. Caxton Mangezi — Caledonia Mining (Retired)
Recently retired after more than five decades in the industry, Mangezi remains one of Zimbabwe’s most respected mining veterans. His tenure helped build Blanket Mine’s legacy of reliability and operational excellence, leaving a lasting footprint on the sector.
10. Nicholus Kadziya — Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe
A rising leader in Zimbabwe’s booming lithium sector, Kadziya heads one of the country’s largest battery-mineral operations. His role places him at the centre of a transformative shift that is redefining Zimbabwe’s future in global clean-energy supply chains with the green-energy minerals wave sweeping across.
Together, these executives represent a spectrum of leadership from corporate giants to small-scale champions, from old-school veterans to lithium-era pioneers. Their work reflects an industry in transition, embracing new technologies, new minerals and new models of governance.
As Zimbabwe pushes toward its US$12-billion mining vision, these leaders will influence not only the pace at which the sector grows, buthow sustainably, equitably and boldly it evolves.
