Dr. Willem Jacobs

Dr. Willem Jacobs is a highly accomplished global mining executive with extensive experience acquiring, discovering, constructing, and operating mining assets in some of the world’s most challenging jurisdictions. He is further widely recognized for his ability to deliver complex operational turnarounds and negotiated solutions involving host governments and other key stakeholders. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Renova Capital, an investment holding company focused on acquiring and developing mining assets relating to critical minerals. Dr. Jacobs also serves as Chairman of the Board of Canada Fluorspar Inc., which is advancing a fluorspar project in St. Lawrence, Newfoundland—noted for having some of the highest-quality fluorspar worldwide. Previously, Dr. Jacobs held senior executive leadership roles as at various publicly listed major mining companies, including Chief Operating Officer of Randgold Resources and Barrick Gold, where he was responsible for large-scale, multi-jurisdictional mining operations and played a key role in operational performance, asset development, and strategic growth initiatives. In addition to his executive leadership, Dr. Jacobs has a distinguished academic profile. He was a founding member of the LLM programme in the Law of the Extractive Industries, and he holds the position of Extraordinary Professor at the University of Pretoria, where he supervises primarily PhD and LLM research in the areas of development economics, mining law, and global extractive industry governance, including mining codes, taxation regimes, and policy frameworks. Willem is also a full member of the South African Academy for Science and Art.