Page 13 - 100 years of Anglo American

Mike Teke, chief executive officer of Seriti Resources
NOTABLE FACES

influenced nglo American people are “When I meet people who are ex-Anglo
everywhere.
“Every other mining house
certain way. I think that that certain way can
globally, by default, has an American, I expect them to do things in a
by Anglo Aand trained by Anglo benefit this whole country,” says Magara.
executive who was groomed
“If you came from Anglo American, people
understood your ethos and corporate
American,” says Mike Teke, former
American president of the Chamber of Mines. governance ... Today, South Africa seems to be
“It is a spectacular influence; it is
missing those obvious corporate citizens.”
amazing. Who does not come from Anglo
Originally from Zimbabwe, Magara was
American?” swept into his career by a bursary.
Until the 1990s, the group, in a very real “If Anglo American sponsored you, you
way, ran the region’s economy. After the were one of the cream of the crop. You got a
The company’s company’s wholesale restructuring into a place in varsity because government
more focused mining company, those who (Zimbabwe) gave you a 50% bursary and a
extensive bursary grew up inside it can still be found 50% loan. As you arrive, the companies flock
throughout the corporate world in South in. They look at the list and say, ‘we want to
programme in the Africa and beyond. see that one or that one’. There were other
It is hard to overstate the role played by
companies, but if you are not called by Anglo
1980s and 1990s the company’s extensive bursary programme American, you are not ‘it’.
in the 1980s and 1990s in shaping South
“At varsity, I promise you, the Anglo
Africa’s corporate elite. Bursars run many American bursars had all the money. If it
produced the Anglo American units, but also occupy a wasn’t for the Zimbabwean government and
variety of positions outside the group. then Anglo American, I would never have
corporate elite we nothing but praise for Anglo American. gone to university. My parents would not
Ben Magara, the CEO of Lonmin, has
have afforded it.”
“I’m from Anglo American; our chief
Magara’s story is a familiar one – from the
see in SA today, financial officer is from Anglo American; our bursary to the gruelling early years in the
head of project management is from Anglo company getting moved from position to
writes Dewald American; our head of business support office position to learn as much as you can.
is from Anglo American; a number of our “It was also a great school ... you could
van Rensburg general managers are from Anglo American. I learn anything in Anglo American. We used
did not bring them to Lonmin, I found them
here – such is the impact of Anglo American. CONTINUED ON P14, 15 AND 16
ANGLO AMERICAN 100 YEARS 13