Dr Geoffrey Cowley
CEO – EDCHG
For over 35 years, Dr Cowley has enjoyed a successful, multi-sectoral career in both the public and private spheres, 20 years of which have been at Executive Board/CEO level. He has worked in 32 countries on all 5 continents and built a track record of achieving business growth in difficult markets, holding CEO positions in major corporations in Africa, Russia, Canada, UK, and the Middle East, including senior executive positions in Anglo American Corporation (RSA), De Beers (RSA), British Energy (UK), British Rail (UK), Murray and Roberts (Dubai), the Press Corporation (Malawi), Basic Element, White Tiger Gold, Kinross, CIC Gold Ltd, and Cobra Resources plc. Across these roles, he has supervisory responsibly for over 35,000 people and turnover responsibility of over $850m USD. Among his many areas of expertise are Reorganisation (re-alignment of markets and products, technology transfer and organisational change), Globalisation (establishing local presences, balancing local and corporate needs, optimising structures, strategy formulation and implementation, and JVs, alliances and M&A), Privatisation (policy formulation and implementation, restructuring, flotation and financing) and Cultural Awareness (knowledge of, and sensitivity to, local customs and practice
Dr Cowley has advised several governments on economic growth and expansion (Oman, Malawi, South Africa, and Romania), been closely involved in the privatisation of British Rail and British Energy and was one of two UK representatives on the Business Council for Europe Africa and the Mediterranean, (BCEAM, Group 7 initiative). For several years he also worked as Senior Advisor on Africa to the World Economic Forum, regularly attending the annual meetings in Davos. During this time, he also worked closely with President Mbeki of South Africa, SADIC (Southern African Development and Industrial Corporation) and the AU (African Union) in developing the New Programme for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). Dr Cowley joined the advisory board of Cedrus Investments Ltd, a Hong Kong-based global boutique investment company) as Strategic Advisor.
He has held several non-executive directorships of mining and manufacturing companies, has a master’s degree and Doctorate in Engineering, is a chartered engineer and also holds fellowships of several major professional institutions in the UK. Dr Cowley is seen by his peers as an expert in the field of Mining, Metallurgy and Energy economics; in developing mining and primary metallurgical companies and restructuring distressed assets. In 2014 he was awarded the “Medal of Excellence” (Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, UK) for his contribution to the mining industry.