Riaan Koppeschaar steps in as Exxaro acting CEO

Ang Lloyd 11 December 2024

Longstanding Exxaro FD remains in finance role, but is now also interim CEO.

Exxaro Resources has announced the appointment of Riaan Koppeschaar as acting CEO, effective 4 December 2024. This after CEO Nombasa Tsengwa was placed on precautionary suspension.

Riaan has been FD for the past eight years and will continue in that role while serving as acting CEO. Commenting on the interim appointment, Exxaro chair Geoffrey Qhena stated that Riaan has deep knowledge of the company and industry, and is well placed to act as CEO, considering his extensive finance leadership experience.

“He will be supported by a highly experienced management team, many of whom have been with the company for decades, and a seasoned board. Together they are well placed to stabilise and lead the company by focusing on meeting customer demand, driving safe, disciplined and efficient production, while creating value for our stakeholders," said Geoffrey.

A chartered accountant with almost 30 years in the mining industry, Riaan is a graduate of Insead’s advanced management programme. Before becoming Exxaro’s FD in 2016, he held a senior management role in the company. He has previously held managerial roles at Iscor and Kumba Iron Ore.

Ang Lloyd

Ang is a senior writer for CIO South Africa, CHRO South Africa and CFO South Africa. She's been working with words since completing her BA in journalism from Rhodes University in 2004, and she has experience in the B2B and consumer magazine spaces, digital marketing, and writing for the C-Suite. She has a special interest in technology and how it impacts humans, but most of all, she just loves telling people’s stories (she's won awards for some of them). In 2020, she felt like she needed another piece of paper so she completed her honours in journalism at Wits University.

Executive Day 2026: Why organisations must adapt, not just adopt AI

Executive Day 2026 brought together South Africa’s leading finance, IT and HR executives to explore how organisations can navigate AI adoption, leadership challenges and accelerating change without losing sight of their people.

04 September 2026

Riaan Erasmus is driving Octodec's next chapter

As deputy CEO and CFO of Octodec Investments, Riaan Erasmus is redefining what it means to be a modern finance leader. From shaping long-term strategy and transforming the company's property portfolio to embracing technology and developing future talent, he believes today's CFO must be far more than a custodian of the numbers.

24 August 2026

Harmony Gold FD Boipelo Lekubo leads with people at the centre

As FD of Harmony Gold, Boipelo Lekubo believes finance is about far more than delivering numbers. From investing in people and balancing growth with shareholder returns to navigating ESG, AI and one of the world's most capital-intensive industries, she explains why today's finance leaders must create value that extends well beyond the balance sheet.

17 August 2026

ExCo Women’s Dinner: Women urged to embrace the power of being present

More than 250 women executives gathered in Sandton for the 11th Annual Executive Communities Women’s Dinner, where leaders reflected on authenticity, visibility and the importance of being fully present in the workplace.

14 August 2026

CFO Pitch Parade: The return of bold ideas, big laughs and four-minute innovation

Finance leaders gathered in Sandton as leading solution providers had just four minutes to showcase the ideas and technologies shaping the future of finance, from AI-powered automation to tokenisation and treasury innovation.

31 July 2026

Why Trellidor CFO Jennifer Erasmus walked away from her dream job as an audit partner

After achieving her long-held ambition of becoming an audit partner, Jennifer Erasmus made the unexpected decision to leave the profession and chart a new course. Now, as CFO of Trellidor, she reflects on the career pivot that reshaped her ambitions, the realities of balancing leadership with motherhood and the legacy she hopes to build through people, process improvement and purposeful leadership.

27 July 2026