Africa Accelerating 2021 - Day 2: Securing Sustainability

Paula Caldwell St-Onge is a recipient of the Head of the Public Service Award for Excellence in Policy and the Queen’s Gold Jubilee medal. She worked in several government departments where she gained expertise in communications, environmental sustainability and political risk.

Neil Reeder joined B2Gold following a distinguished government career of over 35 years with Global Affairs Canada. He helped advance Canadas trade, foreign policy and development agenda during seven different diplomatic postings overseas and in increasingly senior positions in Ottawa.

Pierre Boivin is a partner in the Business Law Group, National Leader of the Africa Group of the firm and Mining Group Leader for the Quebec Region. His practice is focused on commercial transactions notably in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, private equity and related matters in Canada and internationally, including sub-Saharan Africa.

Nikolay Hristov obtained both a Master of Science and Ph.D. in Mineral Processing from the University of Mining and Geology in Sofia and has completed courses in both Engineering Geo-ecology and International Economic Relations. He also recently completed the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School. Prior to joining Chelopech in 2004, Mr. Hristov held positions in mineral processing, research and development. Starting as a metallurgist with DPM, Mr. Hristov moved through a variety of increasingly senior roles before assuming the role of Vice President and General Manager, Chelopech Mine in 2011. Mr. Hristov established a foundation of continuous improvement at the Chelopech mine, overseeing an expansion that doubled the mine’s output. During his tenure as VP and GM for Chelopech, Mr. Hristov played a central role working with a diverse stakeholder group and draws on that experience in his role as Vice President External Relations and Sustainability.

Wayne Floreani has 30 years of international trade and investment promotion experience and expertise, with a particular focus on mining. He has organized numerous delegations at international trade shows, trade missions and conferences, including the annual South African pavillion at PDAC, MinExpo in Las Vegas, Electra Mining and the Canadian Institute of Mining, as well as high-profile ministerial and trade delegations to Canada.

Having worked in the mining industry for over a decade herself, and in the longer term through the exposure her father and grandfather provided working on the mines, this gap was identified in the market and the need for innovative thinking to create an automated, simple to use and understand spares system which links various systems together and resolves the current challenges experienced by mines in this area.

Jacques NdoutouMvé is a Founder & Director at 121 Canada, based primarily out of Toronto, with a team and presence across the African continent.

Ms. Lahri is an accomplished Professional Accountant with a Masters in Strategic Management (BCOM, FCCA), with more than 17 years experience in the mining industry, including 10 years within Corporate Finance at Debswana at the senior management level. She has also served as a board member in the Debswana Pension Fund, Botswana Accountancy College, and Pula Medical Aid. She currently serves as a director on the board of First National Bank declared the leading bank in Botswana. Ms. Lahri has served as Botetis CFO and Director since March 2013, responsible for Finance, Administration, and Security. In May 2018 she was promoted to Managing Director, being the first woman and the first Motswana woman to serve in this capacity for a diamond mining company in Botswana.