Powering the Transition: Making Mineral Wealth Work for All
The world cannot reach net zero without the minerals that power batteries, wind turbines and electricity grids, and demand for them is set to soar. But for too long, mineral wealth has flowed away from the communities and countries where it is found, leaving behind environmental damage and missed opportunity. In this fireside conversation, Rohitesh Dhawan, President and CEO of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), and Nolitha Fakude, Chair of Anglo American’s South African Management Board, discuss the critical role of mining in the energy transition and what it will take to get it right this time. They’ll explore how industry, governments and young leaders can build a system where mineral wealth drives local development, shared prosperity and a just transition, rather than repeating the mistakes of the past.
Speakers
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Rohitesh DhawanPresident and Chief Executive Officer, International Council on Mining and MetalRohitesh Dhawan
President and Chief Executive Officer, International Council on Mining and Metal
Rohitesh “Ro” Dhawan is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), a role he has held since 2021. He leads the Council of 26 CEOs of the world’s largest mining & metals companies in voluntary leadership towards sustainable development through responsible mining.
Under his leadership, ICMM has championed progress on a wide range of topics, including several world-first and world-leading actions on health & safety, decarbonisation, nature, indigenous rights, human rights, community development and circularity. He led ICMM’s instrumental role in the establishment of the Global Tailings Management Institute and the creation of the Consolidated Mining Standard Initiative; two major new institutions to drive responsible mining practices at scale.
Having previously served as Managing Director at Eurasia Group and Global Head of Geopolitics for KPMG, Ro has helped shaped the global agenda on critical minerals, geopolitics and sustainability. This includes serving on the UN Secretary General’s Panel on Critical Minerals, the Advisory Boards of RESOLVE, Columbia Centre for Sustainable Investment and the World Resources Institute’s Polsky Centre for the Energy Transition.
Born and raised in Africa and India and with a passion for development in emerging markets, Ro has been named one of South Africa’s Climate Change Leaders and one of the most influential people in African Mining. He is a Fellow of the Africa Leadership Initiative and a Raisina Fellow at the Asian Forum on Global Governance. He also serves as an adviser to one of the world’s largest energy companies located in the Middle East, and as Chair of the BecomingX Foundation which equips and inspires young people in Africa to achieve their full potential.
Ro holds a Master’s in Environmental Change & Management from the University of Oxford in the UK and an undergraduate degree in Economics from Rhodes University in South Africa. -
Nolitha FakudeChair