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Harmony’s Acting Chief Executive, Graham Briggs was until recently the managing director (Harmony Australia) responsible for Harmony’s International portfolio of assets in Australia and Papua New Guinea.
Born in the United Kingdom in 1953, Graham matriculated at Pretoria Boy’s High School in South Africa. He graduated from the University of Natal, Durban in 1984 with a B.Sc (Hons) Summa Cum Laude degree in geology.
Graham has spent his entire working career in the mining industry commencing at Buffelsfontein Gold Mine in 1985 as geologist and a member of the geological team controlling a multimillion rand deep drilling exploration programme. Two years later he moved to West Rand Consolidated Consolidated as a senior geologist. His responsibilities included the evaluation of the economic reefs of the West Rand, control of the open pit mining on the property and he initiated various projects in an attempt to bring the mine back to profitability.
In 1989 he joined Grootvlei Gold Mine in Springs and was in charge of all aspects of the geological department. He initiated various programmes in order to change the fortunes of the marginal mine including re-structuring and change management programmes.
He was appointed ore reserve manager at Beatrix Gold Mine in 1992, responsible for managing the installation of systems in an attempt to optimise the exploitation of the orebody and initiating various programmes including re-structuring and change management.
In 1996, Graham assumed responsibilities at Harmony Gold Mine as Manager, New Business, and initiated Harmony’s successful acquisition strategy, of which one of the key focus areas was the implementation of a ore reserve management system.
Graham rose rapidly through the Harmony ranks with appointments in a number of significant capacities such as Managing Director of Lydenburg Exploration, initiating Harmony’s exploration efforts in Africa (Ghana, Mozambique, Uganda and Tanzania). This appointment also established the first Harmony office in Johannesburg and was the platform for acquisitions offshore; Vice President (Operations) of Harmony Gold (Canada) Inc. after the successful acquisition of the Bissett Gold Mine in Manitoba, Canada; Operations Director of the Free State Operations in control of 11000 employees on 11 shafts with 3 metallurgical plants; Executive Manager, Organic Growth with the responsibility of Projects, capital expenditure programmes; Technical Director (Projects) in 2003 with responsibilities in Australasia.
He was appointed as Managing Director (Harmony Australia) in 2005 with responsibilities in Australia and Papua New Guinea.
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