Speakers

Executive Vice President, Sinomine Tsumeb Smelter Ms. Barcelona Tsauses is a Chemical Engineer and holds an Executive Management MBA from the University of Cape Town (Cum Laude). Ms. Tsauses has extensive cross functional executive leadership experience in the mining and resources sector in plant design & commissioning, processing Operations, Business Transformation and ESG teams. She is currently the Director of Sustainability and Business Transformation at the Sinomine Tsumeb Smelter. She has more than 19 years of experience in various commodities, namely: Zinc, Uranium and Copper and has developed and implemented various business systems including Organizational Transformation, Effectiveness and Accountability that led to record production and sustainable value creation over her career. Ms. Tsauses has designed and commissioned various plant units across her career, including the state-of-the-art Sulphuric Acid Plant at the SinomineTsumeb Smelter to mention a few. In 2009, she was awarded a global outstanding achievement by Anglo American for the design and commissioning of a processing unit. She is one of the founding members of the Women in Mining Association of Namibia. She is the Chairperson of the Health & Safety Committee of the Chamber of Mines of Namibia and further served on the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) Advisory Committee of the Metallurgy Engineering degree programme.​

Helena Mootseng is a seasoned Corporate Affairs and Stakeholder Relations professional with a proven track record in stakeholder engagement, community relations, government affairs, strategic communications, advocacy, and reputation management. Having held leadership and stakeholder-focused roles at the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI), Namibia Diamond Trading Company (NDTC), and the City of Windhoek, she brings extensive experience in building productive partnerships between business, government, communities, and industry stakeholders. Helena has successfully led stakeholder engagement strategies, facilitated complex multi-stakeholder dialogues, managed community relations programmes, and strengthened organizational reputation through transparent communication and collaborative problem-solving. Her expertise includes government and parliamentary relations, conflict resolution, crisis communication, and policy advocacy. Aligned with the Namibia Mining Expo 2026 theme, “From Dialogue to Delivery: Assessing Progress in Creating Mining-led Economic Growth and Employment since NamPPF,” Helena is passionate about transforming stakeholder dialogue into measurable outcomes that promote inclusive economic growth, employment creation, social impact, and sustainable development for Namibia.

John Roos is the Managing Director of B2Gold Namibia, the country’s largest underground gold mining company, which is 90% owned by B2Gold Corporation and 10% by EVI Mining Namibia. John is responsible for providing strategic leadership and overseeing the company’s operations, long-term growth, and corporate development in Namibia. Before this role, he served as Country Manager from November 2022. John is actively involved in advancing the Company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, championing projects that promote sustainable community development, education, healthcare, livelihoods and environmental stewardship. John is a member of the Executive Committee of the Chamber of Mines of Namibia. He also serves on the boards of the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI), EduVision Foundation, Save the Rhino Trust Namibia, Michelle Mclean Children Foundation and The Nakayale Private Academy, contributing to initiatives that strengthen Namibia’s business environment, education sector, environmental conservation, and socio-economic development. Professionally, John is registered as a Chartered Accountant with the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Kegan Strydom is a Relationship Manager: Mining and Resources at RMB Namibia, with more than 18 years of experience across mining, energy and business development. He is recognized for combining deep sector expertise with commercial insight to unlock growth opportunities and deliver sustainable value for clients and stakeholders. Prior to joining RMB, Kegan held senior operational and leadership roles at Namdeb, where he led and managed significant operational portfolios, and engaged extensively with government, regulators, and industry leaders. Earlier in his career, he gained valuable exposure to the oil and gas sector through roles with Chariot Oil & Gas and NAMCOR. Kegan holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Leadership Development from Stellenbosch University, an MSc in Integrated Petroleum Geoscience from the University of Aberdeen, and a BSc Honours in Geology from the University of Pretoria. He is passionate about shaping strategic outcomes, developing high-value client relationships, and contributing to Namibia’s long-term economic growth through innovative financial and industry solutions.

M.Sc, MAusIMM, Pr.Sci.Nat Mike’s 35 years’ experience in the mining industry includes roles as a consultant as well as in corporate and senior management in private and public listed resource companies operating in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, South America, and Australia. These various roles cover a broad range of responsibilities ranging from corporate management, statutory reporting and capital raising to exploration, environmental permitting and mine development. As a marine geologist and commercial diver scientist Mike has accumulated specialist knowledge in the areas of marine mineral exploration and mining and has been engaged in the development of the marine diamond mining sector in South Africa and Namibia since 1983. Since 2008, he has been responsible for development of NMP’s Sandpiper Marine Phosphate Project including delineation of the +1 billion ton phosphate mineral resource, issue of a Mining License and a Definitive Feasibility Study

Zach Kauraisa is a mining investment professional and the Head of Corporate Finance Advisory at Eos Capital - Namibia’s largest private equity firm. In this role, he advises mining sector sponsors across southern Africa with capital raises and M&A transactions. He holds dual master’s degrees in finance and law, and has advised on cross-border transactions worth over USD 1 billion. Prior to this role, Zach worked as a transaction advisory consultant for a London Stock Exchange listed mining company and served as a mining investment consultant for the European Union’s AfricaMaVal project.

Mr. Zebra Kasete is the Managing Director for Namibia at Deep Yellow Limited, where he leads the company's Namibian operations and the development of the flagship Tumas Uranium Project. He brings more than 35 years of mining experience across uranium, diamonds, copper, gold, borates and talc, having held senior executive and board leadership positions throughout Africa. Prior to joining Deep Yellow in January 2026, Mr. Kasete served as Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Sinomine Tsumeb Smelter, following his successful tenure as Managing Director of Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb. He is recognised for driving operational excellence, business transformation and sustainable growth. A respected industry leader, Mr. Kasete is the immediate Past President of the Chamber of Mines of Namibia and currently serves as Vice Chair of the Namibia Uranium Association, where he continues to champion the responsible development of Namibia's mining sector. He also serves on several advisory and community boards. Mr. Kasete holds an MBA in General and Strategic Management from Maastricht University in the Netherlands and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (MAICD).