FORMER Sibanye-Stillwater CEO Neal Froneman has been appointed chair of Copper 360, bringing one of South Africa’s best-known mining executives into the junior copper producer as it seeks to stabilise operations and return to profitability.
Froneman’s appointment as independent non-executive director and chair, reported by News24 today, is subject to standard screening procedures.
He replaces Rupert Smith, a long-standing chair who has retired from the board to reduce his commitments. Copper 360 said Froneman would bring extensive operational and executive experience, knowledge of global commodity markets and a record of value creation through acquisitions.
Shares jumped almost 14% on the announcement, though the stock remains down nearly 90% since listing on the JSE in 2023, said News24.
Froneman led Sibanye-Stillwater from its 2013 creation, when three mature South African gold mines were spun out of Gold Fields, until retiring in September 2025, overseeing expansion into platinum group metals, US operations and battery metals.
His arrival comes at a critical juncture for Copper 360, the JSE’s only pure copper play, which has undergone significant financial and operational restructuring amid funding constraints, heavy losses and leadership turnover, including the February departure of former CEO Graham Briggs and the June resignation of CFO Ferdinand Nel.
The company completed a recapitalisation in December 2025 via a rights issue, clearing R715m in legacy debt and raising R400m in fresh equity, though it still posted a substantial net loss for the year to end-February 2026, said News24.
