KEY POINTS
- Exxaro has partnered with three South African business schools to develop leadership skills across its mining and renewable energy operations.
- Training will cover frontline management, middle management, executive leadership and women’s leadership development.
- The programmes are tailored to mining and energy challenges, with emphasis on safety, innovation, strategic leadership and sustainable growth.
Exxaro Resources has entered into a strategic partnership with three leading business schools to strengthen leadership development across its mining and renewable energy operations.
The initiative is designed to build a strong pipeline of future-ready leaders capable of managing the changing demands of the mining and energy industries while supporting the company’s long-term growth and sustainability objectives.
The South African natural resources company has appointed the University of Stellenbosch Business School Executive Development, the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), and Henley Business School Africa to design and deliver specialised leadership programmes for its employees.
The programmes will be tailored to different levels of management, ensuring that employees receive training suited to their responsibilities and career stages.
Exxaro said the partnership forms part of its broader sustainable growth and impact strategy and reflects its commitment to continuous learning and employee development.
The University of Stellenbosch Business School will deliver programmes for first-line and middle managers.
The first-line management programme will focus on people leadership, safety leadership and operational effectiveness. This is particularly important in mining and energy operations, where frontline managers play a major role in maintaining workplace safety and ensuring efficient operations.
The middle-management programme will focus on execution, cross-functional leadership and decision-making. It is intended to help managers work more effectively across different parts of the organisation while translating strategic objectives into practical results.
GIBS will oversee the executive leadership programme. The training will focus on strategic thinking, enterprise leadership and resilience, preparing senior executives to manage complex business environments and lead organisational transformation.
Women’s leadership programme to support female talent
Henley Business School Africa will deliver a dedicated Women in Leadership programme aimed at strengthening the leadership capabilities and career progression of women within Exxaro.
The programme will focus on building confidence, judgement, influence and leadership capacity, with the broader objective of helping more women progress into senior positions within the organisation.
Exxaro said the initiative is part of its effort to create an inclusive leadership pipeline capable of supporting the company’s future business and community objectives.
Rather than relying on generic management training, Exxaro said the programmes have been specifically adapted to the realities of mining and renewable energy operations.
The curricula will address issues including safety-critical leadership, operational performance, the global energy transition and South Africa’s socioeconomic environment.
The programmes were developed through collaboration between Exxaro’s Talent and Learning teams, business leaders, subject-matter experts and the three academic institutions.
This approach is intended to ensure that participants can apply the knowledge and skills gained directly to challenges within their workplaces.
Exxaro said investment in employee development is central to building organisational resilience and ensuring the company has qualified leaders capable of supporting its long-term expansion.
The company also believes that continuous learning can help it attract, develop and retain skilled employees in an increasingly competitive labour market.
Exxaro’s acting executive head of People and Performance, Mongezi Veti, said the company considers its workforce its most important asset and sees leadership development as an ongoing process involving learning, practical experience and opportunities for professional growth.
He said the partnership with the business schools would help prepare employees to take on future opportunities and leadership responsibilities while contributing to the company, the industry and surrounding communities.
The partnership comes as mining and energy companies face significant changes driven by technological development, the energy transition, sustainability demands and evolving workforce expectations.
For Exxaro, developing leaders who can respond effectively to these changes is expected to strengthen operational performance while supporting innovation and responsible business practices.
The company said the initiative ultimately aims to produce responsible and purpose-driven leaders who can navigate the challenges facing the mining and energy sectors and contribute to sustainable development.
