Our work

Private sector

We designed a country risk-resilient strategy and strategy development framework for a South African mining company
We designed a comprehensive corporate strategy and strategy development framework to support the client’s requirement for sustainable growth. The project was motivated by rising challenges to securing investment, addressing investment climate risk, lower PGM prices, and rising costs. The new strategy process streamlines business planning and strategy integration, incorporates a wider range of strategy-relevant factors into a suite of analytic tools, creates enhanced strategic decision-making, and improves performance monitoring and reporting.

We formulated a data-centric country risk scenarios for a blue-chip mining company, which led to a large overseas acquisition
We comprehensively assessed South Africa's long term trajectory, with a diagnosis of key factors and levers affecting current and future country performance. This entailed original research into drivers of country performance at the international and domestic level. We then identified three plausible data-intensive future scenarios. These were implications for the client were extensively assessed, and influenced its diversification and acquisitions strategy, as well as its stakeholder engagement process.

We influenced mineral policy and legislation in South Africa toward regulatory certainty through effective analysis and engagement
We conducted in-depth analysis of the country’s mining legislation and proposed amendments in terms of efficacy toward transformation and growth, compliance with international law, and constitutionality. We then engaged in policy advocacy on its findings, contributing to the 2014 Amendment Act being returned to Parliament by the President. We also provided analyses and submissions on key policies: the BB-BEE codes and the Mining Charter; the application by of safety regulations; etc.

We established a country risk management framework integrated with corporate strategy for a blue-chip coal producer
We developed a comprehensive country risk management toolkit derived from the company’s extensive scenario planning and strategy development expertise. This toolkit comprises: 1) a country risk monitor tracking country performance against 200 other countries on an annual basis; 2) a country risk register identifying key factors affecting the client’s key values at risk; and, 3) a risk rating matrix, identifying priority risks. It is expected that we will develop further country risk management tools, and link this process to corporate strategy formulation and implementation.

We performed a due diligence on acquisition target in high risk jurisdiction in Africa
We conducted an in-depth due diligence on a potentially risky acquisition target operating in a high-risk jurisdiction for a large resources company. The DD comprehensively identified key risk areas arising from the operating environment, the target’s business structure, the nature of the assets owned by the target, the way these assets were acquired, and potential compliance and legal issues. The DD also ascertained the target’s key value proposition. This due diligence played an important role in the client’s decision not to proceed with the acquisition.

We de-risked a mineral supply for a global mobile phone manufacturer in the Democratic Republic of the Congo toward greater custodianship
We conducted a two-phased due diligence for a global mobile phone manufacturer, delivering a country risk assessment for the DRC, specifically related to the mining supply chain, and a focused examination of three selected copper-cobalt mining companies. This was done as a benchmarking incorporating their historical performance, management and reputation. Through our recommendations, the client was able to confidently select a cobalt supplier that met its own standards of integrity and responsibility.

We reviewed and contradicted the UNCTAD 2016 report on trade misinvoicing accusing the South African mining industry of systematic minerals smuggling
We were hired by the Chamber of Mines of South Africa to conduct an independent review of an UNCTAD report which accused the South African mining industry of smuggling over USD 100 billion out of the country over 10 years. We determined that the UNCTAD report displayed deep flaws invalidating its conclusions. The report received widespread attention and led UNCTAD to significantly revise its findings on South Africa. Our report also shed light on the inadequacy of methods used by several institutions to quantify illicit financial flows.