Andrew van Zyl has been appointed as managing director of SRK Consulting (SA), the South African arm of the global SRK network of consulting engineering practices. He is also a member of the SRK Global Board and Exco.
Van Zyl stepped into the role from January 2023, taking over from Vis Reddy who completed a term of almost eight years as MD at the end of 2022. Having joined SRK in 2011, Van Zyl became a partner in the firm in 2015 and was appointed as a director in 2020.
“My new role is primarily focused on people, context and strategy, to give SRK’s partners and practices a sounding board and help build the complementary strengths within the company,” van Zyl said in a media release.
SRK Consulting (SA) comprises about 300 permanent staff and a number of associate consultants. An important secondary role is ensuring integration within the global group and increased collaboration with the balance of the 1,700 staff across the globe – the company is increasingly benefiting from the establishment of niche, specialist technical centres of excellence across the globe.
Van Zyl has extensive experience in the mining sector, working initially in production and project roles and later shifting his focus into strategy, business development and valuation. He also spent several years as a technical advisor to a government committee negotiating a mining convention, as well as rail and mineral terminal concessions.
His experience includes valuing metals and minerals assets, including iron ore, manganese, chrome, copper, coal, gold and the platinum group metals. He is active in industry bodies, including being on the council of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM), a member of the inaugural SAIMM ESGS committee and as past chair of the South African Mineral Asset Valuation (SAMVAL) Committee.
In SRK’s involvement in the field of responsible sourcing of minerals, Van Zyl takes a lead role in the firm’s SRK’s partnership with EU’s Re-Sourcing initiative. This body is funded by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme, and draws on SRK’s extensive knowledge of current issues in mining. He has presented at a range of conferences, including the Investing in Africa Mining Indaba and presenting regularly at the World Association of Mining Lawyers’ annual conference.
His qualifications include a Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical) from Stellenbosch University and a Master of Commerce (Financial Economics) from the University of Johannesburg (UJ).