The appointment of Barnaby Mulenga will be announced and his position on the Board of ZCCM IH Group ratified by shareholders when the group of companies hosts its next annual general meeting in mid-January 2020, according to a statement from the Group.

Barnaby, who is a Master’s degree holder in Environmental Law from the University of Sydney Australia, is currently the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Mines after being transferred from Ministry of Labour and Social Security in September 2019. Prior to that, he held the positions of Commissioner of Lands and Head of Estates and valuation all under the Ministry of Lands.

His appointment to the Eric Silwamba led board comes at a time when the group is seeking to create value outside traditional investments. Dividends out of investee companies that have largely been in the mining sector. In 2019 alone, CEO Mabvuto Chipata’s ZCCM-IH and Urban Hotel Group partnered to invest K60 million in the construction of a mixed-development property in Lusaka. Barnaby will be looking closely at this particular investment as the group seeks to expand on its property portfolio.

At the moment, Barnaby is also the interim Chairman of the Public Service Pensions Fund (PSPF) Board. He also serves on a number of other Boards that include the National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA), Workers Compensation Control Fund Board (WCFCB), Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) and the Pensions and Insurance Authority (PIA) among others.

His appointment to the board is a strategic one as his background will aid the board in achieving one of the 5 strategic focus areas. Real estate remains a priority for the investment holding group and Barnaby will provide insight from his experience at the Ministry of Lands.