AngloGold appoints Ramos as chairwoman after Pityana resigns

AngloGold Ashanti appointed Maria Ramos as chairwoman to replace Sipho Pityana, who resigned almost three months after Chief Executive Officer Kelvin Dushnisky quit.

Ramos, 61, is former CEO of South African bank Absa Group and previously served as director-general of the nation’s Treasury. She’s been a director at the world’s third-biggest gold producer since May 2019.

“Ramos brings to the role exceptional experience in leadership roles across both the private and public sectors,” AngloGold said in a statement. Ramos and the board are fully behind AngloGold’s strategic direction “and are supportive of the executive management team, led by Christine Ramon, which is delivering on this long-term business strategy,” it said.

Pityana has been a member of the board since 2007 and became chairman in 2014. During his tenure, AngloGold pared down debt and redeveloped the Obuasi mine in Ghana. It also sold South African mines to focus on more lucrative assets in the rest of Africa, Australia and the Americas.

Ramon became interim CEO in September, after Dushinsky quit two years into the job to be closer to his family in Toronto.