In a press release published on July 22, Rio Tinto Guinea announced the appointment of Aboubacar Koulibaly as Managing Director of Simfer. He joins the management team as the company moves towards the start of production of the Simandou mega iron ore deposit, scheduled for the end of next year. “Under his leadership, Rio Tinto will continue to develop Simandou in a sustainable and responsible manner by focusing on close collaboration with our partners, stimulating investment and promoting economic development across Guinea,” said the mining company, which holds the concession for blocks 1 and 4 of Simandou, located in the Beyla prefecture.
Mr. Koulibaly has worked in the Guinean administration, in Africa and in the United States. “He notably worked for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), where he was country director in the Central African Republic and Mali and supervised UNDP operations in 46 countries,” the press release added. Before joining UNDP, Mr. Koulibaly held senior positions in the Guinean public sector, notably as Minister of Economic and Financial Control.” This was at the very beginning of Alpha Condé’s first term.
Aboubacar Koulibaly, the newly promoted, is delighted: “Simandou represents an exceptional opportunity, offering the potential to transform Guinea and build a better future for our people. I am honoured to take on the role of Managing Director of Rio Tinto Guinea and excited at the prospect of collaborating with our partners on this remarkable project in order to realise its full potential.”
Another Guinean joins Simfer
Gerard Rheinberger, General Manager of the Simandou Project, also commented: “We are honoured to welcome Aboubacar Koulibaly to Rio Tinto to lead our world-class organisation in Guinea. He brings impressive expertise in managing and implementing sustainable development and economic growth projects across Africa. His strong understanding of Guinea and his notable achievements in the country’s public sector make him ideal for this role.”
The now former CEO of Rio Tinto Simfer, Samuel Gahigi, will join his role as Director of External Affairs for Rio Tinto in Africa.
In addition to Aboubacar Koulibaly, Simfer has co-opted Safiatou Diallo, also a former executive in the Guinean administration. She will head the regional economic development department. Having worked at the World Bank at the start of her career, she was chief of staff to the Prime Minister under Kassory Fofana. She then headed the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change in Côte d’Ivoire.
Mamadou Adama Diallo
2024-07-22 18:49:44