22 July 2014, Johannesburg – The Board of Directors of South Africa’s Ivanhoe Mines has expressed sadness over the passing of Dr. Rilwanu Lukman, “a valued member of the company’s board since February 2012”.
“We are deeply saddened to hear of the loss of Dr. Lukman, who was respected as one of Africa’s most accomplished, and internationally recognized and honoured, business leaders,” said Ivanhoe’s Executive Chairman and founder Robert Friedland.
“Dr. Lukman joined the Ivanhoe Board of Directors as we were entering the most ambitious phase of our development as an Africa-focused mineral resource company and preparing for our initial public offering. Drawing on his enormous experience and insights, his contributions through the board and its committees in helping to guide Ivanhoe’s growth have been significant.
“We are privileged to have known and worked with him and, on behalf of everybody at Ivanhoe, I extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends and colleagues,” the company said in a statement.
Dr. Lukman was a non-executive of International Mining and Infrastructure Corporation Plc., an investment company concentrated on Africa’s resource sector. During his extensive career he served as Secretary General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and was formerly Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and also Minister of Mines, Power and Steel. He was made a Knight of the British Empire in 1989 and an Officer of the Legion d’Honneur of France in 1990.
Ivanhoe Mines, with offices in Canada, the United Kingdom and South Africa, is developing its three principal projects:
