Sam E. Jonah
Encyclopedia
Sam E Jonah, KBE
is the Executive Chairman of Jonah Capital, equity fund based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Mr Jonah was previously President of AngloGold Ashanti
and shared the strategic leadership of the company with its CEO, Bobby Godsell
.
Sam Jonah had his high school education at Adisadel College
in Cape Coast, Ghana and earned an Associateship (ACSM)
in Mining Engineering
at the Camborne School of Mines
in Cornwall, England and subsequn MSc in Mine Management at the Imperial College of Science and Technology in London
. He rejoined Ashanti Goldfields Corporation
in 1979, working in various capacities, including underground operations, and he became the Chief Executive Officer
at the age of 36.
As Chief Executive of Ashanti Goldfields, Sam Jonah supervised the transformation of Ashanti Goldfields into a mining multinational, increased gold
production from 240,000 ounces per annum to over 1.6 million ounces in over ten years, and oversaw the company's listing as the first operating African company on the New York Stock Exchange
.
Currently, the Chancellor
of the University of Cape Coast
, Ghana
, Mr Jonah chairs the boards of Equator Exploration Ltd, Scharrig Mining, Equinox Minerals, Uramin, Moto Goldmines Ltd and Range Resources Ltd. Mr Jonah also serves on various boards including Transnet, Mittal Steel SA, Ashesi University
, Standard Bank of South Africa, Lonmin
, the Commonwealth African Investment Fund (Comafin), the Advisory Council of the UN Secretary General's Global Compact,President Olusegun Obasanjo's International Investment Advisory Council on Nigeria, President Thabo Mbeki
's International Investment Advisory Council of South Africa, and President John Kufuor
's Ghana Investors' Advisory Council. As well as his directorships, Mr Jonah is a member of the Advisory Board of the London Business School
.
He has been decorated with several awards and honours, among them an honorary Doctor of Science (D.Sc) degree awarded jointly by the Camborne School of Mines
and the University of Exeter
(UK) in 1996.
Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, Head of the Commonwealth
, conferred on Sam Jonah an Honorary Knighthood, presented by the Prince of Wales
, at a ceremony in June, 2003. The award is in recognition of Dr. Jonah's exceptional achievements as an African businessman, a leading business executive from the Commonwealth, and an international public figure.
In 2009 he became a non-executive director of Vodafone
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
is the Executive Chairman of Jonah Capital, equity fund based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Mr Jonah was previously President of AngloGold Ashanti
AngloGold Ashanti
AngloGold Ashanti Limited is a global gold mining company. It was formed in 2004 by the merger of AngloGold and the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation.AngloGold Ashanti Limited is now a global gold producer with 21 operations on four continents...
and shared the strategic leadership of the company with its CEO, Bobby Godsell
Bobby Godsell
Robert Michael "Bobby" Godsell is a retired South African businessman and the former CEO of South African gold mining company AngloGold Ashanti, a position he held from 1998 to 2007...
.
Sam Jonah had his high school education at Adisadel College
Adisadel College
Adisadel College is an Anglican school for boys in Cape Coast, Ghana, modelled on the English public school.-History:Adisadel was established in 1910 in a building at Topp Yard, near Christ Church and Cape Coast Castle...
in Cape Coast, Ghana and earned an Associateship (ACSM)
Associateship of the Camborne School of Mines (ACSM)
Associateship of the Camborne School of Mines or ACSM is an award of the Camborne School of Mines Trust.Candidates successfully completing programmes of study in the Camborne School of Mines leading to degrees of the University of Exeter are eligible for additional awards made by the Senate of the...
in Mining Engineering
Mining engineering
Mining engineering is an engineering discipline that involves the practice, the theory, the science, the technology, and application of extracting and processing minerals from a naturally occurring environment. Mining engineering also includes processing minerals for additional value.Mineral...
at the Camborne School of Mines
Camborne School of Mines
The Camborne School of Mines , commonly abbreviated to CSM, was founded in 1888. It is now a specialist department of the University of Exeter. Its research and teaching is related to the understanding and management of the Earth's natural processes, resources and the environment...
in Cornwall, England and subsequn MSc in Mine Management at the Imperial College of Science and Technology in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He rejoined Ashanti Goldfields Corporation
Ashanti Goldfields Corporation
This is the article on the mining company. For the football club of the same name see Ashanti Gold SC.The Ashanti Goldfields Corporation is a gold mining company based in Ghana that was founded by Edwin Cade. The Ashanti Mine, located at Obuasi, 56 km south of Kumasi, has been producing since 1897...
in 1979, working in various capacities, including underground operations, and he became the Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
at the age of 36.
As Chief Executive of Ashanti Goldfields, Sam Jonah supervised the transformation of Ashanti Goldfields into a mining multinational, increased gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
production from 240,000 ounces per annum to over 1.6 million ounces in over ten years, and oversaw the company's listing as the first operating African company on the New York Stock Exchange
New York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at 13.39 trillion as of Dec 2010...
.
Currently, the Chancellor
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
of the University of Cape Coast
University of Cape Coast
The University of Cape Coast, Ghana, is one of the rare sea-front universities in the world. The university was established in 1962 out of a dire need for highly qualified and skilled manpower in education and was affiliated to the University of Ghana...
, Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, Mr Jonah chairs the boards of Equator Exploration Ltd, Scharrig Mining, Equinox Minerals, Uramin, Moto Goldmines Ltd and Range Resources Ltd. Mr Jonah also serves on various boards including Transnet, Mittal Steel SA, Ashesi University
Ashesi University
Ashesi University is a private, secular, liberal arts college located in Berekuso, a town near Aburi, an hour’s drive from Ghana's capital, Accra. The university opened in March 2002, founded by Patrick Awuah, a graduate of Swarthmore College and Haas School of Business...
, Standard Bank of South Africa, Lonmin
Lonmin
Lonmin plc , formerly Lonrho plc, is a producer of platinum group metals operating in the Bushveld Complex of South Africa. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.-History:...
, the Commonwealth African Investment Fund (Comafin), the Advisory Council of the UN Secretary General's Global Compact,President Olusegun Obasanjo's International Investment Advisory Council on Nigeria, President Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki is a South African politician who served two terms as the second post-apartheid President of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008. He is also the brother of Moeletsi Mbeki...
's International Investment Advisory Council of South Africa, and President John Kufuor
John Kufuor
John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor was the second president of the 4th Republic of Ghana and Chairperson of the African Union...
's Ghana Investors' Advisory Council. As well as his directorships, Mr Jonah is a member of the Advisory Board of the London Business School
London Business School
London Business School is an international business school and a constituent college of the federal University of London, located in central London, beside Regent's Park...
.
He has been decorated with several awards and honours, among them an honorary Doctor of Science (D.Sc) degree awarded jointly by the Camborne School of Mines
Camborne School of Mines
The Camborne School of Mines , commonly abbreviated to CSM, was founded in 1888. It is now a specialist department of the University of Exeter. Its research and teaching is related to the understanding and management of the Earth's natural processes, resources and the environment...
and the University of Exeter
University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public university in South West England. It belongs to the 1994 Group, an association of 19 of the United Kingdom's smaller research-intensive universities....
(UK) in 1996.
Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, Head of the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Independent States
The Commonwealth of Independent States is a regional organization whose participating countries are former Soviet Republics, formed during the breakup of the Soviet Union....
, conferred on Sam Jonah an Honorary Knighthood, presented by the Prince of Wales
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
, at a ceremony in June, 2003. The award is in recognition of Dr. Jonah's exceptional achievements as an African businessman, a leading business executive from the Commonwealth, and an international public figure.
In 2009 he became a non-executive director of Vodafone
Vodafone
Vodafone Group Plc is a global telecommunications company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest mobile telecommunications company measured by revenues and the world's second-largest measured by subscribers , with around 341 million proportionate subscribers as of...
.
External links
- AngloGold Ashanti corporate site
- Bio Sketch of Dr. Sam. E. Jonah, KBE at Pennsylvania State UniversityPennsylvania State UniversityThe Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
website