The South African set to be the first woman to run a R1.7 trillion American giant
Gold major Newmont has named its South African-born COO, Natascha Viljoen, as its next president and CEO.
This marks the first time in the American company’s 104-year history that a woman will lead the world’s largest gold miner with a market capitalisation of $99.45 billion (R1.72 trillion).
The company has announced that Viljoen, who currently serves as its Chief Operating Officer, will take over as President and CEO on 1 January 2026, following the retirement of Tom Palmer.
Viljoen was born in 1970 in Klerksdorp, a mining town in South Africa’s North West province.
She holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the University of the North West and an Executive MBA from the University of Cape Town.
She began her career in 1991 as a trainee engineer at Iscor, before building up three decades of experience across some of the world’s largest mining companies.
Her career includes senior roles at BHP, AngloGold, and Lonmin, where she served as executive vice president of processing and oversaw the company’s sustainability and health programmes.
In 2014, she joined Anglo American as group head of processing and was later appointed CEO of Anglo American Platinum in 2020, becoming one of the few women to run a major global mining company.
At Anglo American Platinum, Viljoen earned a reputation for her focus on operational efficiency and safety, particularly during a period marked by volatile metal prices and social challenges in the mining sector.
In 2023, she joined Newmont as chief operating officer, overseeing operations across several continents.
Newmont’s chairperson, Greg Boyce, said Viljoen had proven to be an expert operator and inspiring leader during her two years as COO.
Outgoing CEO Tom Palmer also praised her leadership and said that after nearly four decades in mining, it was the right time for him to retire and hand over to someone with her experience.
Palmer will step down from the board at the end of 2025 but will remain with the company as a strategic adviser until March 2026.
A new era for Newmont
Palmer, who became Newmont’s tenth CEO in 2019, led the company through several major acquisitions, including the $10 billion purchase of Goldcorp, the creation of Nevada Gold Mines in partnership with Barrick, and last year’s $16.8 billion acquisition of Newcrest Mining.
These deals cemented Newmont’s position as the dominant player in the global gold sector. Viljoen’s appointment comes at a time when mining companies are under increasing pressure to balance profitability with environmental and social responsibility.
Her previous experience in sustainability and stakeholder engagement is expected to be important as Newmont navigates tightening regulations and growing scrutiny of mining’s impact on communities and the environment.
She has previously served on advisory boards at the universities of Cape Town, Stellenbosch, and Queensland, and has been recognised internationally for her leadership.
Forbes magazine listed her among the “Most Powerful Women International” in both 2020 and 2021, while she also featured on the “100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining” list.
Newmont, headquartered in Colorado, traces its origins to 1916, when American financier Colonel William Boyce Thompson founded the company to manage his investments in mining, oil, and gas.
The name “Newmont” was derived from his connections to New York and Montana. The company weathered the Great Depression and expanded globally, later becoming known for its operations in gold, copper, silver, zinc, and lead.
Today, Newmont operates mines in North and South America, Australia, and Africa. It is the only gold producer listed on the S&P 500 Index and is regarded as one of the industry’s major players in safety and governance standards.
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