• WIA Gold appoints Henk Diederichs managing director from February 2026

• He will lead development of Kokoseb gold project in Namibia

• Appointment supports feasibility study and permitting ahead of construction

WIA Gold announced on Thursday the appointment of Henk Diederichs as its new managing director and executive director, effective Feb. 1, 2026. His main task will be to lead the development of Kokoseb, a proposed gold mine run by the Australian company in Namibia.

With more than 20 years of experience in the mining industry, Diederichs specialises in project development and operations. Before joining WIA, he served as chief operating officer at Predictive Discovery on the Bankan gold project in Guinea. He also previously contributed to the development of the Lumwana copper mine owned by Canada’s Barrick Mining and the Nyanzaga gold mine owned by Perseus Mining.

WIA said Josef El-Raghy, currently executive chairman, will become non-executive chairman once Diederichs takes up the role. The company described the reorganisation as a “significant milestone” as it plans to finalise the Kokoseb feasibility study in the second half of 2026. The study is expected to provide a basis for updating the project’s current indicators. According to a scoping study published in September 2025, the project has an estimated cost of $358.8 million and an annual production capacity of up to 177,000 ounces of gold.

The incoming managing director also plans to focus on securing the construction permits needed for the project. Other key steps are expected to follow, notably the mobilisation of project financing after the feasibility study is published.

“I am excited to lead the development and construction of Kokoseb, one of Africa’s most promising and robust gold mining projects,” Diederichs said in a statement. “With the significant progress achieved to date and key milestones ahead, including the completion of the DFS and securing the necessary permits to bring Kokoseb into production, I look forward to building a strong development and operations team in Namibia to deliver a highly value accretive project that benefits all our stakeholders.”

Kokoseb is not the only advanced gold project under development in Namibia. Osino Resources is also advancing Twin Hills, a future gold mine with a cost currently estimated at $365 million.

Aurel Sèdjro Houenou