Africa’s Mining Elites Take Centre Stage at Mining Indaba 2027
Mining Indaba and Mining Review Africa brings mining elites to Africa’s premier mining investment.
platform.
Johannesburg, South Africa | 23 September 2026: The people driving African mining forward will have a
new stage at Mining Indaba 2027. On 10 February, the Mining Elites in Africa Awards Ceremony will take place.
its debut at the continent’s leading mining investment gathering, bringing a decade of industry recognition to a global audience of investors, mining companies, governments and industry leaders.
The partnership will showcase the leaders, companies and projects driving measurable progress and
creating lasting value across the mining sector.
Mining Indaba 2027 is built around the theme “Stronger Together: Putting Partnerships into Practice”, with a focus on what collaboration delivers when it moves from discussion to action.
The Mining Elites awards will bring this principle to life by highlighting achievements in responsible
mining, community development, technology, leadership and operational performance. The focus will be
on tangible results and the contribution these leaders and organisations are making to businesses,
communities and economies.
A decade of mining leadership Published by Mining Review Africa, Mining Elites in Africa has recognised excellence across the continent since 2015.
What began as an annual yearbook has grown into an established industry platform that documents the
people, companies, projects and innovations helping shape African mining.
The awards ceremony at Mining Indaba marks an important evolution for mining elites, bringing the
programme directly into a gathering of the industry’s most influential decision-makers and giving finalists
and winners an international platform for their work.
For Gerard Peter, Editor-in-Chief of Mining Review Africa, bringing the awards ceremony to Mining Indaba represents a significant step in the evolution of mining elites:
“Mining Elites has always been about recognising the people and organisations making a real difference
across African mining. Bringing the awards ceremony to Mining Indaba gives that recognition a powerful
new platform. It puts the achievements of those driving responsible, innovative and impactful mining in
front of the industry’s key decision makers and creates an opportunity to celebrate what is being
delivered across the continent.”
For Mining Indaba, the awards reinforce the practical focus of the MI27 theme.
Laura Nicholson, Industry Director at Mining Indaba, sees the partnership as a direct reflection of the
MI27 theme and its focus on turning collaboration into results:
“The mining industry does not need another conversation about why partnership matters. It needs
examples of what partnership can deliver. That is why Mining Elites is such a strong fit for Mining Indaba.
2027. The awards will showcase the leaders and organisations turning collaboration into results and
creating value across the mining value chain. This is what ‘Stronger Together: Putting Partnerships into
"Practice" means "in action". An industry-led judging panel, Mining Elites 2027, will be assessed by an experienced panel representing expertise across mining, investment, advisory, legal, policy and industry.
Members of the Mining Indaba Steering Committee have confirmed their participation in the judging.
process, adding independent industry perspectives to the evaluation of this year’s nominations.
The judging panel includes:
• Jonathan Veeran, Partner, Webber Wentzel
• Isabelle Ramdoo, Director, IGF
• Allison George, Senior Strategic Advisor, dss+
• Julie Courtnage, Executive Director, Mandela Mining Precinct
• Andrew Lane, Strategic Advisor
• Puso Thahane, Partner, Boston Consulting Group
• Bokang Kelepa, Chief Growth Officer, Baletsema Holdings
• Marcus Courage, CEO, Africa Practice
• Laura Nicholson, Industry Director, Mining Indaba
The panel brings together perspectives from across the sector to assess the contribution, impact and
significance of this year’s entries.
Recognising achievement that moves the industry forward
The 2027 Mining Elites in Africa Awards will recognise achievement across leadership, emerging
leadership, ESG, future mining technologies and transformational mining projects.
The programme will highlight those delivering meaningful environmental, social and economic value.
while advancing innovation, responsible business and operational excellence.
The 2027 edition carries the theme “Mining Beyond Tomorrow”, recognising the individuals and
organisations responding to a changing industry and helping shape a more sustainable, innovative and
resilient future for African mining.
Nominations close 30 September.
Nominations are open to industry professionals who want to put forward an organisation, project,
company or colleague making a measurable contribution to African mining.
Nominations close on 30 September 2026. Following the close of nominations, entries will be assessed by the Mining Elites judging panel, with winners announced at the Mining Elites in Africa Awards Ceremony on 10 February 2027 during Mining Indaba in Cape Town.
Submit a nomination and put the people, projects and companies driving progress across African mining in the spotlight. Click here to nominate https://lnkd.in/eGcQeFcE
ENDS//
About Mining Elites in Africa
Mining Elites in Africa is an annual publication and recognition platform published by Mining Review Africa. Established in 2015, it celebrates the leaders, companies and projects making a measurable contribution to African mining and highlights excellence, innovation, sustainability and leadership across the mining value chain.
About Mining Indaba
Mining Indaba is Africa’s leading mining investment event, bringing together mining companies, governments, investors, policymakers, technology providers and other key stakeholders from across the global mining value chain.
Mining Indaba 2027 will take place from 8 to 11 February 2027 at the CTICC in Cape Town, South Africa.
Under the theme “Stronger Together: Putting Partnerships into Practice”, MI27 will focus on how meaningful collaboration can unlock investment, strengthen value chains, support responsible development and create lasting value across Africa’s mining sector
