Ricardo Ribeiro
Advisory Board Member
Ricardo Ribeiro is Managing Director of drilling technology solutions provider Rosond of Midrand, driving significant growth and change in an established industry over the last few years. He has a BCom from Unisa and matriculated from St Martin’s School.
Ricardo’s natural capacity for big picture thinking and inclination to look beyond what already exists means he is always on the lookout for new opportunities. Innovation and creativity, along with a strong focus on the future, as opposed to the past, are key to how he approaches situations and problems. This has fuelled his interest in the role that women play in the mining sector, which has enabled Ricardo to create significant opportunities for women’s increased involvement through original and creative application of new technology in machinery.
Under his leadership, Rosond secured a R2 billion, five-year contract to supply Anglo American’s Kumba Iron Ore with 28 state-of-the-art drill rigs as it modernises its geoscience operations at the Kolomela and Sishen mines in the Northern Cape. Ricardo is also spearheading the company’s expansion into Southern Africa, notably clinching major new work at Debswana’s Jwaneng diamond mine and overseeing a digitalisation drive at the company to pioneer the next generation of highly automated drill rigs.
Developed in partnership with Comacchio of Italy, Rosond’s drill rigs automate most of the arduous and dangerous manual tasks such as handling drill rods. This has paved the way for various female drill-rig team members to be trained at Kumba, setting a benchmark for diversity and inclusivity in the mining industry, a traditionally male-dominated environment.
Ricardo is strategic-minded, strongly action-orientated, and gravitates naturally towards leadership positions. His growth mindset is bolstered further by his high level of optimism, believing that anything is possible. Ricardo demonstrates an exceptional balance between strategy and people and this, along with a commitment to creating change, enables him to pave the way for the real advancement of women in the mining industry.