SAM JONAH

The Journey of Sam Jonah

Samuel Esson Jonah, born on November 19, 1949, is a Ghanaian businessman and the current chancellor of the University of Cape Coast. He holds the position of executive chairman at Jonah Capital, an equity fund headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa. Jonah previously served as the president of AngloGold Ashanti, where he shared strategic leadership responsibilities with CEO Bobby Godsell.

Raised in Obuasi, Sam Jonah is a member of the Fante Royal family. He completed his high-school education at Adisadel College before pursuing an Associateship in Mining Engineering at the Camborne School of Mines. Subsequently, he obtained a Master of Science in Mine Management from the Imperial College of Science and Technology.

Jonah's career began in 1979 when he joined the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation, where he worked in various roles, including underground operations. By the age of 36, he ascended to the position of chief executive officer, overseeing the company's transformation into a mining multinational. Under his leadership, gold production at Ashanti Goldfields increased significantly from 240,000 ounces per annum to over 1.6 million ounces. He also spearheaded the company's listing as the first operating African company on the New York Stock Exchange.

In 2009, Jonah assumed the role of non-executive director at Vodafone. His contributions to the mineral industry in Africa led to his election as a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 2019.

Currently serving as the chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, Jonah chairs several boards, including Equator Exploration Limited, Scharrig Mining, Equinox Minerals, Uramin, Moto Goldmines Ltd, and Range Resources Limited. He has also held or currently holds positions on various boards, including Transnet, Mittal Steel SA, Ashesi University, Standard Bank of South Africa, Lonmin, and the advisory council of the UN Secretary General's Global Compact.

Jonah's accolades include an honorary Doctor of Science degree jointly awarded by the Camborne School of Mines and the University of Exeter in 1996. In June 2003, he became the first Ghanaian to receive an honorary knighthood (KBE) in the 21st century, presented by the Prince of Wales. He has been recognized as one of the richest individuals in Ghana and has received numerous awards for his contributions to the mining industry, including a platinum award from the Ghana Mine Workers Union in December 2019.

Sam Jonah is married and has five children.

Reference:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_E._Jonah