Jacob Thamage

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Jacob Thamage, a mining and mineral policy expert, joins the ANRC as a Chief Mining Officer. He has over 25 years of experience working for the Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources in Botswana. Over this period where he was accountable for regulatory functions in the minerals value chain. Namely project evaluation at exploitation, mining, processing and marketing. He also served on policy organs advising the State on water development, investments and commercial arrangements with mining companies.

His last assignment before joining the ANRC, was to head Botswana’s diamond downstream processing initiative. His responsibilities included creating an enabling environment for growing the diamonds’ value chain. Prior to that, he worked as the Deputy Permanent Secretary responsible for the development and administration of Botswana’s Mineral Policies and Legislation. During his tenure in the Ministry, Jacob has been involved in negotiations of various agreements, including debts restructuring with various mining companies doing business in Botswana. He has served as a non-executive director representing the Government of Botswana in diamonds, nickel, copper, soda ash and salt projects. He was also responsible for setting up Okavango Diamond Company, a government owned company that purchases and markets 15% of Debswana’s rough diamond production.

Internationally, Jacob led the Botswana team in the negotiations and implementation of the Kimberley Process Certification scheme from 2002 to 2016. He has also represented the country in the development of the SADC Mining Protocol and contributions to the development of the African Mining Vision. He was focal point in discussions between the country the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative International Secretariat.

Jacob holds a B. Engineering (Mining) from the Technical University of Nova Scotia, Halifax, and an MBA from Nijenrode University, Breukelen NL.

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