Leadership & Governance
Leadership Driving the Future of the Vanadium Industry
Vanadium Resources Group is led by a founding team committed to building an integrated vanadium processing, beneficiation and logistics company that supports South Africa’s position in the global critical-minerals industry.
As the Company progresses through its growth strategy, VRG intends to expand its Board of Directors, Executive Management and Technical Advisory Team by bringing together expertise across mining, metallurgy, engineering, finance, logistics, project development and international marketing.
Governance
Built on Strong Governance and Technical Discipline
VRG believes that strong governance, technical excellence and strategic leadership are fundamental to creating long-term value. The Company intends to develop governance structures appropriate to each stage of growth while strengthening technical oversight, commercial accountability and responsible decision-making.
Founding Leadership
Board of Directors
VRG was founded by Vangile Thabethe and Pfunzo Sam Baloyi, who serve as Co-Founders and Executive Directors of the Company.
Vangile Thabethe
Co-Founder and Executive Director – Mining Finance and Corporate Strategy
Vangile Thabethe is a mining engineer with experience across mining finance, corporate strategy, project evaluation and operational improvement. She is the Co-Founder and Executive Director responsible for Mining Finance and Corporate Strategy at Vanadium Resources Group.
Vangile holds a BSc Honours degree in Mining Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand and is pursuing a Master of Engineering (Mining & Minerals Engineering) in North America, United States. She is a Candidate Mining Engineer with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and a CFA Program Level I candidate.
Her mining-industry experience spans underground and surface mining, mine design, engineering economics, asset management, technical reporting and capital project evaluation, with practical exposure to operational improvement and investment appraisal across multiple mining environments.
Vangile Thabethe is a Co-Founder and Executive Director of Vanadium Resources Group, where she is responsible for Mining Finance and Corporate Strategy. She applies her mining engineering background to the evaluation of mineral opportunities, the development of investment-ready projects and the assessment of project feasibility as the Company advances its critical-mineral ambitions through the development stages.
Vangile holds a BSc Honours degree in Mining Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand and is pursuing a Master of Engineering (Mining & Minerals Engineering) in North America, United States. She is a Candidate Mining Engineer with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) and a CFA Program Level I candidate, combining technical mining discipline with formal training in finance and investment analysis.
Her mining-industry experience spans underground and surface mining, mine design, engineering economics, asset management, technical reporting and capital project evaluation, with practical exposure to operational improvement and investment appraisal across multiple mining environments.
Through her participation in a structured Graduate Mining Engineer development programme with Samancor Chrome, Vangile contributed to projects involving underground infrastructure, conveyor and tipping systems, equipment and steel recovery, and copper recovery from mining waste. Her work on these engagements included lifecycle costing, productivity improvement and investment appraisal, giving her practical grounding in how engineering decisions translate into project economics.
Her broader operational exposure was shaped by technical visits and structured learning across a range of South African mining environments, including Mponeng Gold Mine, Sasol Impumelelo Colliery, Finsch Diamond Mine and Kolomela Iron Ore Mine, operated by Anglo American’s Kumba Iron Ore, as well as JA Engineering. These experiences provided exposure to gold, coal, diamonds, iron ore and chrome operations, together with mining equipment, engineering solutions and the different operational environments in which mining companies work.
Vangile is committed to advancing a diversified, value-based South African mining industry, and she brings this combination of technical mining exposure, project economics and commercial thinking to VRG’s development of investment-ready critical-mineral projects.
- Master of Engineering (Mining & Minerals Engineering) (In Progress) - North America, United States
- BSc Honours in Mining Engineering (Completed) - University of the Witwatersrand
- Candidate Mining Engineer - Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA)
- CFA Program - Level I Candidate
- South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM)
- WITS University Mining Engineers Association
- Mining finance and corporate strategy
- Engineering economics
- Project evaluation and investment appraisal
- Capital project evaluation and financial modelling
- Mine design and operational improvement
- Asset management and lifecycle evaluation
- Mineral opportunity evaluation
- Critical-mineral project development
- Technical reporting
Pfunzo Sam Baloyi
Co-Founder and Executive Director – Processing Operations and Engineering
Pfunzo Sam Baloyi is the Co-Founder and Executive Director responsible for Processing Operations and Engineering at Vanadium Resources Group.
With more than a decade of experience across mining, mineral processing, aggregate operations and heavy industrial environments, Pfunzo provides leadership in processing strategy, plant reliability, engineering standards and operational readiness.
Full biography
Pfunzo Sam Baloyi is the Co-Founder and Executive Director responsible for Processing Operations and Engineering at Vanadium Resources Group (VRG).
His background spans more than a decade in mining, mineral processing, aggregate operations and heavy industrial environments, where he has worked across processing plants, fixed-plant infrastructure and large-scale operational settings.
Pfunzo brings practical expertise in plant reliability, fixed-plant maintenance, shutdown execution and operational improvement. His work has focused on keeping plants safe, reliable and available, disciplines that are directly relevant to VRG’s integrated vanadium processing and beneficiation ambitions.
He completed a National Diploma in Mechanical Engineering in 2015 and is currently pursuing a BTech Engineering qualification at the Tshwane University of Technology. He has led engineering teams responsible for maintenance planning, shutdown coordination and continuous operational improvement.
As VRG’s Executive Director for Processing Operations and Engineering, he is responsible for processing strategy, engineering standards, plant reliability and operational readiness as the Company develops its asset base.
Pfunzo is committed to building processing capability that is technically disciplined, commercially efficient and safe by design.
Qualifications and professional background
- National Diploma in Mechanical Engineering - completed 2015
- BTech Engineering (In Progress) - Tshwane University of Technology
- More than a decade of professional experience in mining, mineral processing, aggregate and heavy industrial operations
- Engineering leadership - managing engineering teams, shutdown execution and operational-improvement programmes
Areas of expertise
- Mineral-processing operations
- Plant-reliability engineering
- Mechanical engineering
- Engineering asset management
- Fixed-plant maintenance
- Preventative and predictive maintenance
- Shutdown planning and execution
- Root-cause failure analysis
- Condition monitoring
- Operational excellence
- Engineering leadership
- Health, safety and operational-risk management
Asiphe Nhleko
Non-Executive Director
Asiphe Nhleko is an emerging mining professional, entrepreneur and youth leader with experience spanning mining engineering, innovation, sustainability and enterprise development.
She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand, with academic focus areas including mine planning and design, mineral resource and reserve evaluation, mining economics and project evaluation.
Full biography
Asiphe Nhleko is an emerging mining professional, entrepreneur and youth leader with experience spanning mining engineering, innovation, sustainability and enterprise development.
She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand, with academic focus areas including mine planning and design, mineral resource and reserve evaluation, mining economics and project evaluation.
Her practical mining experience includes roles with Lesego Platinum Group and Salungano Group, where she has gained exposure to mineral resource evaluation, mine planning, mining methods, surface mining operations, health and safety, technical reporting and stakeholder engagement.
Asiphe is also the founder of Innovation for a Sustainable Future and has held leadership roles within the Mining Engineering Student Council at the University of the Witwatersrand. Her broader interests include sustainable development, entrepreneurship, innovation commercialisation and the application of emerging technologies to industry.
Her international exposure includes participation in the 2026 ECOSOC Youth Forum in New York, where she represented South African youth in discussions around innovation, sustainability and economic development.
Qualifications and professional background
- Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering (in progress) - University of the Witwatersrand
- Mining Engineering Intern - Lesego Platinum Group (2026-present)
- Mining Engineering Intern - Salungano Group (2025-2026)
- Founder - Innovation for a Sustainable Future
- Leadership experience - Mining Engineering Student Council, University of the Witwatersrand
- Participant representing South African youth - 2026 ECOSOC Youth Forum, New York
Areas of interest and experience
- Mining engineering studies
- Mine planning and design
- Mineral resource and reserve evaluation
- Mining economics and project evaluation
- Surface and underground mining
- Innovation and sustainability
- Enterprise development and entrepreneurship
- Technical reporting and stakeholder engagement
Building a World-Class Leadership Team
Future Leadership Requirements
VRG welcomes expressions of interest from experienced professionals who share its ambition to build an integrated African vanadium processing, beneficiation, logistics and market-access business.
These areas represent future organisational capabilities and do not constitute active or confirmed vacancies.
Expressions of interest, not confirmed vacancies.
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Operating Officer
Chief Financial Officer
General Manager – Processing Operations
Commercial and Marketing Director
Supply Chain and Logistics Director
Business Development Executive
ESG and Sustainability Executive
Legal and Corporate Governance
Company Secretary
Strategic Advisory Development
Technical and Strategic Advisory Board
VRG intends to establish a Technical and Strategic Advisory Board comprising experienced professionals from the mining, metallurgical, engineering, financial, governance and energy sectors.
The Advisory Board is being established. No adviser appointments or profiles are confirmed for publication.
- Vanadium-processing technologies
- Metallurgical optimisation
- Mining partnerships
- Project finance
- International trade
- Critical-minerals policy
- Corporate governance
- ESG and sustainability
- Energy-storage markets
- Global market development
Expressions of Interest
Start a Leadership Conversation
Experienced professionals who share VRG’s long-term ambitions are invited to begin a strategic conversation about future leadership, technical and advisory requirements.
Strategic Engagement
Contribute to the Next Stage of VRG’s Development
Experienced mining, metallurgy, engineering, finance, logistics, governance and energy professionals are invited to begin a strategic conversation.