David K. Renner

Founding Director and Chief Executive Officer

30+ Years Mining Industry Experience
Project Development

David Renner has over 30 years of mining industry experience, distinguishable by his many years of hands-on involvement in diverse aspects of the commodities mining sector.  His experience includes various roles held in senior management positions in Ashanti Goldfields in Ghana that preceded the senior operational roles he held at AngloGold Ashanti.

A pertinent career highlight was serving as project manager for the development of the Geita Mine, the first commercial gold mining operation in Tanzania.

Other relevant board positions have been with Minecon Resources and Services Ltd (minerals resources consultancy), Jet-Rom Engineering Ltd. (engineering), and Gaso Petroleum (energy).

In addition, he’s a member of the Investment Advisory Committee of Ghana’s sovereign mineral fund, the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) and founder and managing director of Iguana Resources Ltd., an indigenous junior mineral exploration company in Ghana. This special blend of mining and leadership experience places him in the ideal position to lead our board, as he holds relevant expertise in the development and sustainable management of commodities in the region – as such, his insights are invaluable.

Sir Samuel E. Jonah (KBE)

Founder & Chairman

50+ Years Mining Industry Executive.
Currently Chairman of Helios Towers (UK)

Sam Jonah’s mining career launched in 1969 at the Obuasi gold mine in Ghana.  Since then, he’s gained over five decades of experience in the mining industry. 

When he was appointed chief executive officer of Ashanti Goldfields Company Limited in 1986, he oversaw its growth from a one-mine operation into a multinational.  In 2004, he became the Executive President of AngloGold Ashanti Ltd., when Ashanti merged with AngloGold Limited.

He has also served on the boards of several international public and private companies in that time. His leadership skills were developed in the diverse roles he took on in his professional journey.

He gained the title of ‘Sir’ in 2003, when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain & Northern Ireland and Head of the Commonwealth conferred on him, an honorary knighthood as Knight Commander of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE).

Since 2019, he’s been chairman of the board of Helios Towers, UK, (a leading telecom tower infrastructure company). He is also the current chairman of a Canada-listed, junior exploration company, Roscan Gold Corporation. Holding these influential board positions, Sam is dedicated to collaborating and driving impactful change in Africa’s mining industry. As Green Africa Minerals chairman, he particularly contributes a comprehensive understanding of organisational dynamics, strategic planning, and effective decision-making.

Dr Kojo Busia

Founding Director & ESG Specialist
Non-Executive Director, AGA

Dr. Kojo Busia is the founding executive director of AMV Resources Partners Ltd. in Ghana and a non-executive director of the AngloGold Ashanti Group Ltd., the world’s third-largest gold mining company.

Holding these industry leadership positions, he contributes rich experience to the Green Africa Minerals board.

Overall, his career spans over 26 years and his focus has been on good governance of natural resources.  On our board, he also chairs our Social, Ethics and Sustainability Committee and is a member of the Investment Committee.

He’s had diverse exposure in Africa and globally, to varied facets of the commercial and non-profit realms, including bilateral, multi-lateral, and organisations from USAID, and the United Nations (UN), to AngloGold Ashanti.  

Dr Busia applies his seasoned strategic skills to address a multitude of the most complex environmental, social, and governance (ESG) challenges we face from the get-go working in the natural resources sector.

He has an entrepreneurial mindset that is in harmony with the dynamic scope of the Green Africa Minerals board’s commitments. These characteristics enhance our strategic vision for the organisation’s future, integrating mining responsibly from the start in alignment with best sustainability practices.

John Antwi

Director

30+ Years Mining Experience
Chief Executive Officer of Bendito Resources

With more than 30 years’ experience in the mining sector, John’s expertise spans a diverse range of fields, including corporate finance, corporate planning, business development, and project management. This underscores his comprehensive grasp of the intricacies of the mining sector.

John has assumed various leadership roles throughout his career, adeptly navigating the complexities associated with both major and junior miners in the industry, which has resulted in his comprehensive grasp of the intricacies of the mining sector.

He was previously employed by the President of Elim Group and Elim Mining Limited. John also served on the Board of Trustees for the American Exploration & Mining Association and as an advisor for AdvisoryCloud.

Asa Mwaipopo

Non-Executive Director – Tanzanian Subsidiary Board

Asa has built a robust set of skills for technical roles, managerial responsibilities, and executive positions in his mining industry career, which spans more than 30 years.

Asa, who started his career as a government mines inspector in Tanzania, has previously served as a non-executive director in private mining and construction companies.

Throughout his career, he has held pivotal positions with prominent entities such as AngloGold Ashanti, African Barrick Gold (now Acacia Mining) and Mantra Tanzania.

Asa is well versed in the technical aspects of the industry and has also occupied governance and leadership roles in his career. He is a certified member of the Institute of Directors Tanzania (IoDT), with a commitment to excellence which is reflected in his interests in productivity, quality management and governance.

Daniel K. Bansah

Consulting Geologist

35 Years Mining Industry Experience
Mineral Resource Estimation Expert

With 35 years in the mining and geology field, Dan Bansah has accumulated a deep understanding of mining industry intricacies, having successfully navigated countless dynamic geological challenges. He’s currently the chairman and managing director of Minecon Resources and Services Limited, a mining consulting company that provides solutions to mineral exploration, development projects, and mining operations in  Africa.

Dan’s career grew exponentially during years at Ashanti Goldfields and the Banro Corporation, where he held a series of senior and management roles. He also played a key role in the discovery and resource development of the 20 million-ounce Geita Gold Mine in Tanzania. Additionally, he led teams on several projects and operations in Africa at Ashanti Goldfields.

A further career highlight is the unparalleled dedication and skill he applied in managing a team of multicultural professionals to stabilise and optimise two operations of Banro in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during his tenure at the Banro Corporation.  His mining journey reflects professional grit and an enduring track record of exceeding expectations and driving innovation.

Julie Gauthier

Financial Advisor

Corporate Lawyer, Structured Deals

Over her 20-year career, Julie Gauthier has navigated the intricacies of financial markets and legal frameworks, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the intersection between finance and law. Her expertise includes specialisation in corporate structuring, tax planning and investment banking for private clients and global entrepreneurs in the mining industry.

She’s also advised and consulted widely on mining projects in Canada, the US, Latin America and Africa. She’s successfully raised capital and structured numerous investments for junior and medium-sized projects.

Highly qualified, Julie holds a dual B. Sc in Finance and Geology, an MBA in Finance from top-ranked IMD in  Switzerland and a Master in Law (LLM) in international tax law from New York University (NYU). She has extensive experience in the financial  and legal sector having worked for and with the largest family offices worldwide including Lundin Group of Companies and Family Office in Geneva, Stonehage Fleming, Rockefeller Capital Management,  and Ernst & Young (EY) Family Enterprise. She currently acts as the director on multiple global resources investment structures for her international clients and is a member of their family board of advisors. With her deep experience, Julie’s advisory knowledge, input and invaluable perspectives on complex regional and global financial and legal matters place us in a strong and advantageous position as we start up our endeavours in Africa.  We look to her to make sure our governance and legal footing are strong at every step as we grow. This will be critical to our success.