Aim-listed Kefi Gold and Copper has appointed Danny Callow as independent nonexecutive director with immediate effect, filling the vacancy left by the retirement of Richard Robinson at the company's recent annual general meeting.

Callow brings extensive experience in building mines across Africa. His previous roles include Head of African Copper Operations for Glencore; CEO of Mopani Copper Mines in Zambia and Mutanda Copper Mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and COO of Consolidated Copper.

Over the last seven years, he has served with Toubani Resources, initially as COO before becoming CEO, later transitioning to executive chairperson and most recently to nonexecutive director.

"Danny brings to our team first-class hands-on African mine development experience and he will focus on closely monitoring project development and, in due course, operations," Kefi executive chairperson Harry Anagnostaras-Adams said.

Callow will chair the operations and physical risks committee. The company also announced a planned structure for its board and committees, which currently comprises the founding executive directors, the executive chairperson, the finance director and four independent nonexecutive directors.

The board includes Dr Alistair Clark as senior independent director, deputy chairperson and chair of the environmental, social and governance and sustainability committee; Addis Alemayehou as nonexecutive director and chair of the nomination and remuneration committee; Maleda Bisrat as nonexecutive director and chair of the audit and risk committee; and Callow as nonexecutive director and chair of the operations and physical risks committee.

The committees comprise all nonexecutive directors, with the executive chairperson attending to report along with other relevant executives and advisers. All nonexecutive directors will also shortly join the main company subsidiary boards to ensure timely and effective transparency.

The three operating group companies are Kefi, its 100%-held subsidiary KME Minerals Ethiopia Holdings Share Company and its 95%-owned Tulu Kapi Gold Mines Share Company. Alongside the executive chair and finance director, other senior executives on specific subsidiary boards will shortly comprise Kefi Group COO Eddy Solbrandt as director of KMEH and deputy chair of TKGM; country adviser for Ethiopia Abera Mamo as deputy chair of KMEH; and managing director of TKGM Simon Cleghorn.

At about the start of production at Tulu Kapi, planned for mid-2028, the board expects that a CEO will be appointed and the current executive chairperson will become nonexecutive chairperson. The finance director will then retire and a successor will be appointed. Internal staff development and recruitment is in process as part of this and wider succession planning.

"Today's announcement also summarises the planned and very deliberate composition of the board and the board committees which are designed to maximise transparency and quick information flow," Anagnostaras-Adams said, adding that a similarly considered approach is taking place for the subsidiary companies, including at newly formed Ethiopian holding company KME Minerals Ethiopia Holdings Share Company and the main operating company TKGM Share Company.

"Likewise, Gold and Minerals Limited, in Saudi Arabia, has recently expanded its board and is creating an appropriate board committee for operational oversight as it also prepares for project development."