Former engineer named MRA board chairman

Business

BENNY Kimisive, a former engineer with the Ok Tedi mine, has been appointed as the chairman of the Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) board.
Mining Minister Johnson Tuke made the announcement last Friday following a recent cabinet decision.
He said Kimisive had a wealth of experience in the mining industry and management and would add value to MRA’s governance and administrative interests.
MRA’s managing director Jerry Garry said Kimisive’s experience and foresight would be instrumental in guiding the authority in terms of governance, management and technical aspects of MRA’s operations.
He said Mineral Resources Authority was going through a lot of changes internally, and the chairman and his board’s guidance would be needed.
Garry said Kimisive would resign as a member of the Mining Advisory Council in due course to take up his new role.
Kimisive urged MRA to put the people and landowners’ interests at heart.
The chairman heads a five-member board that represents various government departments and an ex-officio.
They are Winterford Eko, alternate to director Harry Kore, (Department of Mineral Policy and Geohazards Management Secretary), Stephen Nukuitu alternate to director Dr Ken Ngangan (Finance Department Secretary), director Koney Samuel (National Planning and Monitoring Department Secretary), Donald Hehona, alternate to director Dairi Vele (Treasury Department Secretary) and non-ex-officio David Toua.
Kimisive has a bachelor of engineering (mechanical) from Unitech and a diploma in business management from Great Barrier Reef Tafe, Queensland.
He worked with the Ok Tedi mine as the engineering manager between 1993-2012. He was the chief engineer with the Eastern Highlands government in 2015-2016.
Kimisive served as a trustee on the Dudi Trust Ok Tedi in 2010. He is currently the senior engineer/project manager with the Kramer Ausenco group.