MIRA Conference – Feb 2026, Johannesburg, South Africa

Conference 2026

February 4- 5, 2026 | The Maslow | Sandton, South Africa

Join Industry Leaders at the MIRA Conference

Conference 2026

The MIRA Conference is where mining, risk management, and insurance professionals come together to explore today’s most critical challenges and emerging opportunities. Featuring expert panels, insightful presentations, and strategic networking, this premier event offers a unique platform for knowledge sharing and cross-sector collaboration.

February 4- 5, 2026
The Maslow
Sandton, South Africa

Who Attends the MIRA Conference?

Risk and insurance managers
Finance directors
C-suite executives
Brokers and underwriters
Loss adjusters
Forensic accountants
Risk Engineers
Claims professionals
Legal and risk advisors

Conference 2026

February 4- 5, 2026 | The Maslow | Sandton, South Africa

MIRA Board Q&A

Presenters:

Paul Wordley (Wordley Partnership)

Experience and Background:

Paul is a founding partner of the Wordley Partnership, having been partner at HFW where he was Global Head of Insurance & Reinsurance and a member of the Management and Strategy Boards, respectively. His expertise has grown over the past four decades, with a focus on advisory, complex claims, dispute resolution and coverage issues in the international Insurance and Reinsurance markets. His specialist sectors include aviation, energy, risk, technology, sport and natural resources – the latter demonstrated through him being a founder member and director of MIRA.

Lorraine McGorian (BHP)

Experience and Background:

Insurance Manager at BHP since July 2016, with experience across service, manufacturing, mining and telecommunication industries. Lorraine holds a Master of Business Law and a Master of Risk Management and specialises in delivering insurance solutions in complex global environments.

Will Fremlin-Key (Willis)

Experience and Background:

Since 2023 Will has been Global Head of Mining & Metals at Willis, one of Willis’ core industry pillars within its Natural Resources division. He is responsible for setting and implementing Willis’ global strategy for this industry sector. Day to day Will also leads the Mining & Metals client service and placement team in London. He has almost 20 years’ experience working with mining companies worldwide, is passionate about the industry and at the forefront of developing forward-thinking risk/insurance solutions to help clients address the risk issues of tomorrow.

Ian Clendenning

Experience and Background:

Director at the Perth Office, Ian is a dual qualified Engineer and Chartered Loss Adjuster, who has been working in the sector since 1985. Works globally, spending a considerable part of his career working in London, the Middle East and Asia. He specialises in the investigation and quantification of claims from the Natural Resources and Construction sectors within Australia and internationally on nominated accounts.

James Fryer (Inigo)

Experience and Background:

James Fryer is Mining Underwriter at Inigo Syndicate in Lloyd’s. He has a background in Chemical Engineering and has been working in the London insurance market for 25 years as a risk engineer, loss adjuster, and construction/property underwriter, underwriting exclusively in the mining sector for the last 15 years. James has been the Chairman of MIRA since 2018.

Susan Zabolotniuk (Teck Resources)

Experience and Background:

Susan Zabolotniuk joined Teck in November 2022 as the Director, Risk, Insurance and Claims, with prior roles that included underwriting, claims, risk management and broking. In addition to authoring numerous articles on insurance and risk management, Susan’s risk management work has been published in academic journals. She graduated with an honours MBA in Risk Management, a degree in Indigenous History, and a Diploma of Technology in Journalism. She is a Fellow, Chartered Insurance Professional, holds a Fellowship in Risk Management and holds certifications in Change Management, Project Management and Conflict Management.

Tom Holliday (Munich Re)

Experience and Background:

Tom is Head of Mining at Munich Re. With over 25 years experience across both underwriting and broking, he manages a team of underwriters across London, Munich and Sydney. Tom holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from the University of Edinburgh and a post-graduate from the Royal School of Mines, Imperial College. He is currently Treasurer of MIRA.

Heap Leach Facilities

Introducer:

Gareth Williams (Rushton International)

Experience and Background:

Gareth Williams, Director at Rushton International, manages the successful delivery of valuations for major clients across the globe, including those operating within the mining and natural resources sector. Gareth began his career at a London West End practice and qualified as a Chartered Surveyor with Jones Lang LaSalle in 2006.

Rushton International is an independent and impartial RICS firm of valuers specialising in insurance valuations worldwide, with extensive experience across the mining sector, including processing plants, heap leach operations, infrastructure and associated site assets. Established in 1997, recognised for efficiency and integrity, all work is completed in-house by an experienced specialist team.

Moderator:

David Prescott (Swiss Re)

Presenters:

Richard Stahl (JS Held)

Mark Smith

Experience and Background

Mark Smith is a heap-leach–focused geotechnical engineer with 46 years of experience, working as an independent consultant and serving on the boards of two mining companies. He studied at both the University of Utah and the University of Nevada, earning his master’s degree in Reno.

Mark is a licensed professional engineer across the western U.S. and Canada. Much of his work involves participation on independent review boards, advisory panels, and technical steering committees.

Following the catastrophic failure of the Eagle Gold Mine heap leach facility in June 2024, Mark was part of the Yukon government’s emergency response team in the days immediately after the failure and later chaired the Independent Review Board established to determine its geomechanical causes. He is also the lead editor of the forthcoming Guidelines for Heap and Dump Leach Design and Operations and the lead author of the recently published Heap and Dump Leach Pile Stability Rating and Hazard Classification System.

Dirk Van Zyl (Tailings & Mine Rock Management)

Experience and Background

Dirk Van Zyl is Professor Emeritus of Mining Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC. Dirk has more than 50 years of experience in research, teaching and consulting in tailings and mine waste rock disposal and heap leach design. He started working on heap leach projects in 1981 and was the convenor of the SME short course on heap leach design in the 1980’s which led to the text issued by SME in 1988. Recently he was a member of the Technical Advisory Group for the investigation of the Eagle Mine Heap Leach Failure in the Yukon. H has also been a member of two panel investigations of tailings dam failures: that of the Mount Polley tailings failure in 2014 as well as the Independent Tailings Review Board that investigated the 2018 Cadia TSF failure in Australia. He is a member of multiple Independent Tailings Review Boards in North and South America.

Dirk received his undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. He completed his graduate studies at Purdue University and an Executive MBA at the University of Colorado. He is a registered professional engineer in the US and Canada.

Tom Clapton (QBE)

Experience and Background

Tom is a Senior Casualty Underwriter with a unique blend of technical expertise and insurance acumen. A Chartered Civil Engineer, Tom spent 12 years working as an engineering consultant across a broad range of infrastructure and construction projects before transitioning into the insurance industry. This extensive technical background gives him a deep understanding of risk, design, and operational exposures—particularly in complex or high-value construction and engineering-related liabilities such as those found in the mining sector.

Now specializing in casualty underwriting and working at QBE, one of the world’s leading insurers and reinsurers, Tom brings a practical, detail-oriented approach to risk assessment and portfolio management. He leverages his engineering insight to underwrite with precision and provide value-added guidance to brokers and clients, particularly those in the construction, infrastructure, mining, and manufacturing sectors.

Tom is passionate about bridging the gap between engineering and insurance, ensuring that underwriting decisions are informed, balanced, and aligned with real-world operational realities.

Daniel Landers (Swiss Re)

Experience and Background

Daniel Landers is a Risk Engineer and supports underwriting of the mining portfolio at Swiss Re Corso where he completes assessments for mining operations worldwide, analyzing risks that could generate insurable property losses, provides recommendations to insured clients on risk management, and supports the assessment of mining and energy construction projects. In this role he provides subject matter expertise on tailings storage and heap leach facilities and assists in the development of underwriting guidelines related to them.

Prior to working in the insurance industry Daniel held the role of corporate tailings manager for a senior gold mining company. He has held project engineering and execution roles at large engineering and gold mining companies, and his experience has included project permitting, design and construction delivery of mining dams and heap leach facilities, civil infrastructure and process facilities for projects in the USA, South America, and Africa.

Creating Captive Value

Moderator:

Presenters:

Stefan Swanepoel (Directrix Risk Services)

Experience and Background:

Stefan is a qualified actuary and risk manager (FFA, FASSA, CERA, FIRMSA) with more than 25 years’ experience (22 with his own consultancy) in the actuarial and risk finance consulting space.

His key capabilities are the development, design, risk-pricing and implementation of bespoke risk retention programmes across a range of domiciles and territories for diverse clients.

With the creation of sister company Directrix Management Services, insurance based accounting and financial reporting has been added to the portfolio, providing clients with a full suite of consulting and administrative services typically not easily available within organisations, especially taking new requirements such as risk-based solvency regimes and IFRS17 into account.

Other competencies within the companies’ teams include pre-loss modelling, such as Business Interruption and Mitigation Assessments, parametric insurance, generation and demand modelling in renewable sector, complex claims assessments and risk-based premium allocations

Current risk finance clients include programmes linked to multi-national mining, (alternative) energy, industrial and shipping companies across territories such as South Africa, Bermuda, Singapore, Labuan, Mauritius, Isle of Man and Gibraltar, with parent companies from across the globe.

He also acts as Head: Actuarial Control Function to several niche or specialist insurers in a regulatory capacity and is an approved Loss Reserve Specialist in Bermuda.

Deepak Mohan (Ryerson Networks)

Experience and Background:

Deepak is the Commercial Director at Ryerson Networks, a technology enabled risk consulting firm headquartered in Switzerland and operations in Europe, North America and Australia. Deepak brings more than 20 years of (re)insurance experience across the U.S., Europe, and Asia Pacific. Before joining Ryerson Networks, he held senior roles at Swiss Re and Axis Capital across corporate strategy, principal investments, and business development disciplines. Deepak holds an MBA from the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland and is both a CFA Charterholder and a CPCU designer.

Stuart Hill (McGill)

Experience and Background:

Stuart has over 16 years of heavy industry and mining experience and is responsible for International and Corporate property at McGill.

Stuart led the placement for some of JLT’s most complex mining clients, before joining Gallaghers to specifically look after their major mining accounts.

Stuart joined McGill in early 2020 and played a pivotal role in setting up the mining and property practice.

Within the various lines, Stuart also considers client retentions strategies, through alternative risk transfer methods, ensuring that they are structured and set at the right levels.

Itumeleng Lebepe

Experience and Background:

Itumeleng is a distinguished professional with extensive experience in Governance, Risk, and Compliance

(GRC). He is a qualified Chartered Accountant (CA(SA)) and a Registered Auditor, bringing a high level of expertise and credibility to strategic GRC leadership roles. Previous roles have included Group Manager of Risk Management at Exxaro, Risk & Assurance at Kumba Iron Ore, and Audit Manager at Anglo American.

Demystifying Mills & Machinery

Moderator:

James Fryer (Inigo)

Experience and Background:

Presenters:

Jarrod Hofmann (Hofmann Engineering)

Experience and Background:

Education/Graduation: Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and Commerce

Jarrod Hofmann is third generation member and director of Hofmann Engineering.

Working the machines since a young age, Jarrod studied Mechanical Engineering and Commerce at the University of Western Australia and subsequently became more involved with the technical aspects of the business. Jarrod supports the operation of Hofmann Engineering’s 7 factories globally.

William Quinn & Christopher Dix (Metso)

Education and Background:

Senior Manager of Field Services Product Management at Metso, bringing over 13 years of engineering experience in designing, installing, and maintaining large girth gear systems. He has led projects worldwide, ranging from on-site mill gear installations to reliability consulting and implementing Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM) strategies. Currently, his focus is on leveraging digital tools to enable rapid inspections and enhance the performance of grinding mill systems.

Education and Background:

As Product Director for Grinding Drivetrain & Structural Parts at Metso, Christopher Dix brings over 18 years of specialized experience in comminution application engineering, product management, and maintenance leadership. His background includes hands-on roles in on-site mining operations, OEM product development, and global technical support for grinding mills and HPGRs. With a focus on risk mitigation, he applies design-for-service methodologies, reliability-centered product development, and lifecycle asset management to optimize grinding mill performance. Close collaboration with mine operators enables the integration of field insights into Metso’s strategic roadmap for grinding mill solutions. This approach ensures that development cycles deliver measurable improvements in equipment reliability, sustainability, and the reduction of structural and mechanical risks across the mining sector.

Abstract:

Contingency planning for Girth Gears and related equipment – Case studies from a manufacturer.

This session explores the material options and technologies available for the manufacture of girth gears.

Contingency and critical spare options to enable operational resilience will be presented.

Technical Advisory Session

Moderator:

Paolo De Rosa (Marsh)

Presenters:

Tim Cotton (IMIU)

Experience and Background:

Tim joined IMIU’s engineering team as a Principal Risk Engineer in early November 2013. Following a change in company structure in 2025, Tim became Risk Engineering Manager.

He is based in the South East of England in the UK. Most of his career has been spent working for one of the leading global mining and metals companies, Rio Tinto.

Tim is an experienced and qualified mining engineer with 20 years of experience in operations, technical and commercial roles, working on mines around the world exploiting a range of metals & minerals. His career in the mining industry began with RTZ Technical Services Ltd in Bristol UK as a Technical Assistant. In 1994 he began work with Rio Tinto Zimbabwe Ltd at Renco Gold as a Graduate Mining Engineer. After a one year training course, he started as an Overseer miner running an underground section. In 1995, Tim returned to the UK and was employed as a Technical Assistant within RTZ Group Technical services in London. His main project was the review of all RTZ Group Companies Safety and Environmental achievements in 1995 and a review of the 1996 HSE plan to ensure continuous improvement.

Tim moved to Australia in 1996 to start work as a Mining Engineer with Tarong Coal. He was responsible for Capital and Special Projects. The role’s main responsibilities were the implementation of the Tritronics Truck Monitoring System and the management of the Mining Capital plan. A few years later in 1998, Tim was appointed Superintendent of Mine Planning with Hamersley Iron in Australia. This role covered the design of pits, dumps, haulroads and rehabilitation landforms for all of Hamersley’s five iron ore operations. He was required to manage the geotechnical and hydrogeological design work required to facilitate the development of safe and economic mine designs. In addition, this role required that all state and federal licensing consents were obtained such as environmental permits and native title grants.

In the period from 2000 to 2009, Tim was employed initially as Senior Engineer (Short Range Planning) with US Borax, later being promoted to Manager Mine Technical Services in 2002. This particular role required significant technical leadership in a variety of disciplines, mentoring and talent development of the diverse mining team and was a key member of the mine leadership team. In 2005 he was appointed to Principal Advisor. He led the joint development of an organisational effectiveness programme including the embedding of a safety leadership culture. He was promoted to Director of Mining with Rio Tinto Minerals (formally US Borax) from 2006 to 2007. During this time, the mine was awarded the Sentinel of Safety Award by MSHA for the safest large surface mine in north American resulting from setting and actively managing high safety goals and objectives.

In 2007, Tim was tasked to manage the Kazan Project at Rio Tinto Minerals. As Director, he was responsible for developing the pre-feasibility study for a USD2billion soda ash deposit in Turkey, reporting to the Chief Financial Officer of Rio Tinto Minerals. He led the preparation of a detailed design for a solution mine covering the mine, process plant, port and infrastructure options as well as options for power supply via an in-house power station.

In 2009, Tim moved to Singapore to take on the role of General Manager of Global Sourcing in Rio Tinto Procurement. He was responsible for leading a 30-strong procurement team, reporting to Rio Tinto’s Global Head of Procurement. The primary task was the development, management and deployment of sourcing strategies for Rio Tinto’s global contracts for the supply of all heavy mobile equipment, giant off-road tyres, hydrocarbons and explosives. He was also nominated to be the business’ representative to the Earth Moving Equipment Safety Round Table; a global, multi company initiative to accelerate the design and building of safer mining equipment direct from factory.

From 2012 to 2013, Tim was appointed General Manager of Special Projects at Rio Tinto Diamonds. His core responsibility was the implementation of the procurement separation plan for the Diamonds business from Rio Tinto, reporting to the Managing Director of Rio Tinto Diamonds. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, he reviewed and developed a contract mitigation strategy for 200 plus global and regional contracts to either assign or transfer to a separated business; led the organisational design of a stand-alone procurement function encompassing the resourcing and system requirements of four individual operating businesses; and defined and proposed a new operating culture focussed on operational excellence that incorporated a new vision, strategy, organisational values and operating principles. The team also designed and supported a change management process to socialise the change across the diamonds business.

Tim wanted a change in career and to stay based in the UK where his family were settled. He was intrigued by the idea of working as a risk engineer in the mining insurance industry, where his skills and experience would be invaluable. It appealed to him that through his work at IMIU, his influence could make a difference at grass roots level in mining operations.

Awards & Qualifications

Master of Engineering with (Upper Second Class) Honors Degree in Mining Engineering with Rock Mechanics from the Royal School of Mines, Imperial College, London
Associate of the Royal School of Mines
Accredited Auditor for: ISO 14001 Internal Environmental Management System & ISO 9000 Internal Quality System
Holder of a Zimbabwean Full Blasting Licence
Trained as a Breakthrough Facilitator
Professional Memberships
Chartered Engineer Status, Engineering Council (UK)
Member of the Institution of Mining, Metallurgy and Materials

Tim is married with two adult children. His passions are hill walking and rugby.

Lane Boss (IMIU)

Experience and Background

Lane joined IMIU as Principal Risk Engineer in August 2011. Lane has extensive experience in the specialised field of mining risk engineering and spent 7 years serving in a similar role with Zurich Services Corporation.

Lane attended Montana State University, graduating in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering (highest honours). He was also named as top mechanical engineer of his class. Whilst attending University, Lane had a desire to see the world and signed on in the US Navy Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate program in 1990. On leaving Montana University Lane received his commission in the US Navy, after attending Officer Candidate School.

Whilst in the Navy, Lane attended advanced schooling and field training in nuclear power plant operations as well as the Submarine Officer Basic Course. Lane served a 3-year assignment as submarine officer (1994-1997) aboard the USS Georgia where he achieved qualification as a Naval Nuclear Engineer. Following this tour, Lane went on to spend two years in Washington DC (1997-1999) assigned to the Strategic Systems Weapons Program where he held the position of Missile Branch Fleet Liaison Officer. His responsibilities included communications and planning of maintenance, technical support, and logistics of all Trident Fleet Ballistic Missiles in the US and UK submarine fleets.

Lane left active Naval service in 1999 (after 9 years of service) in order to spend more time with his wife and children. He remained actively serving in the US Navy Reserve, until his retirement at the rank of Lieutenant Commander in July 2011. Lane sought out a new career where he might use his engineering, maintenance and operations experience that was close to his home state of Montana.

Lane started the next part of his career at the Rosebud Mine in Colstrip, Montana. Rosebud was the second largest coal mine in Montana, producing 12 million tons of coal per year and operating a fleet of 4 large Marion draglines. Lane held positions of Maintenance Engineer and Maintenance Supervisor. He achieved certification as mine foreman. In this position he was responsible for the daily operations of a maintenance shop and crew of 20; as well as scheduling, monitoring, and coordination of maintenance activities on mine equipment; capital purchases and project engineer. While at the Rosebud Mine, Lane coordinated the conduct of a site risk assessment performed by the mine’s insurance company, Zurich Insurance.

Following 5 years at Rosebud Mine, Lane decided to change career and move into risk engineering. He joined Zurich, who were expanding their mining risk engineering capabilities, and had sought him out after meeting him during the risk survey at Rosebud. Lane held the position of Senior Risk Engineer, as well as Mining Industry Practice Leader for Zurich’s North American Risk Engineering Division.

Whilst at Zurich, Lane provided consulting services to the Global Mining and Mineral Processing Industry. These services included conducting mining specific property and machinery breakdown and casualty (workers’ health and safety, and third party liability) exposure assessments at Zurich’s customers mining operations. Through these assessments, “advice for risk improvement”, based on industry specific knowledge and insight, was provided to the customer, allowing them to take a proactive approach to reducing potential exposure to mining losses. Additionally, he provided construction risk services, performing both Hazard Analysis facilitation and project site assessments, to reduce risks during and after project completion. During this time, Lane was also a member of Zurich’s Global Mining Center of Expertise.

Risk engineering in the Mining industry is a small world and as such, Lane was very familiar with IMIU’s business operation and engineers. So in 2011, it was evident to both IMIU and Lane that an excellent opportunity existed for both and subsequently Lane joined IMIU as Principal Risk Engineer.

Lane has a strong interest in developments within the Mining Industry. He has been a panel member at the ABB Gearless Mill Drive Users Meeting (2010) and also co-author of a white paper ‘Insurability of Large Gearless Mill Drives’ which is has been presented at the Global SAG Conference (2011). Lane has also been quoted in October 2010 ‘Business Insurance Magazine’. More recently, Lane serves as an active member of the Mining Insurance Risk Association (MIRA), Technical/Engineering working group.

Awards & Qualifications

Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering, Montana State University (1992)
Qualified Naval Nuclear Engineer (1996)
Certified Mine Foreman (Montana 2003)
Zurich Basic and Intermediate Fire Protection Courses (2004)
Zurich Hazard Analysis Team Leader (2007)
Zurich International Risk Engineering Course (2009)
Zurich Risk Engineer of the Year (2009)

Lane is married and father of three grown daughters. His favourite leisure activities include mountain biking, road cycling, downhill skiing, camping, boating, and using his John Deere tractor. Lane is also a football fanatic (not the American type), following the English Premier League, EUFA Champions League and FIFA World Cup. At home he will occasionally play the game on a horse pasture turned into football pitch.

Jon Nelson (FM)

Experience and Background

Jon Nelson is the principal engineer for mining & molten materials at FM. In this role, Jon is responsible for technical oversight, engineering training and engineering standards for the mining & molten material industries. Additionally, he provides support to FM’s internal and external clients to resolve questions and find solutions for complex risks outside of traditional engineering standards. To identify these solutions, Jon works closely with FM’s corporate engineering and research groups. Jon also teaches FM’s internal engineering classes on high challenge industries such as mining, molten materials, aluminum smelting, glass manufacturing, and advanced boiler and machinery risks.

Prior to his role as principal engineer, Jon was the operations chief engineer/operations vice president for FM’s San Francisco and Seattle operations. Jon joined FM as a field engineer in its Seattle office in 2002. During this time, he conducted both Boiler and Machinery and Fire servicing primarily in the mining, molten materials, and chemical industries. Additionally, Jon is a co-author of several FM Loss Prevention Data Sheets on subjects such as aluminum smelting, mining, molten materials and glass manufacturing.

Jon is a graduate of Oregon State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Abstract (Part 1) – Tim Cotton & Lane Boss:
Risk considerations when incorporating Battery Technology into mining, including U/G battery powered equipment and surface Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) installations. Real life examples and best practice techniques to consider when installing and using Battery Technology in a variety of mining applications.

Abstract (Part 2) – Jon Nelson:
Acid plants play a critical role in the mining and metallurgical refining industry. Recent events have shown that even the best run facilities can still have fire related hazards due to the large concentrations of plastic equipment and ducting associated with acid plants. This presentation covers hidden hazards associated with plastic ducts and equipment, as well as recent full-scale research and testing done on protecting the equipment, manual and automatic response, and using process safety to define acceptable risk.

Embracing Digital Strategies

Moderator:

Jerry Wallace (Hawcroft)

Experience and Background:

Joined Hawcroft in 2008 after 27 years with BHP and Glencore/Xstrata in underground coal mining industry with 22 years in senior management roles including 5 years as Operations Manager and Statutory Mine Manager.

Hawcroft provides risk management services to the mining and associated industries. Founded in Australia in 1992, Hawcroft now has offices in US, UK, Mexico, South Africa and Canada and work on every continent and across all aspects of mining, processing, materials handling and infrastructure.

Presenters:

Reijo Pold (ValueSpace)

Experience and Background:

Reijo Pold is the founder of ValueSpace, that provides satellite-based structural health audits of infrastructure for the insurance industry, as well as asset owners and operators. He brings 20 years of experience in the technology and investment sectors and has worked with large corporations, corporate venture capitalists (CVCs), venture capitalists (VCs), and startups.

He leverages satellite-driven analysis and monitoring to identify areas requiring attention, prevent potential failures, enhance safety, minimise downtime, and reduce the costs of unplanned repairs.

Company Background:

ValueSpace is the market leading insurance technology company that delivers satellite-based risk assessments for underwriters and risk engineers, enabling a deeper understanding of both existing and prospective insured assets. Conducted remotely, these assessments are up to ten times faster, provide unique insights and are more cost-effective than traditional approaches. By delivering independent infrastructure health audits, ValueSpace empowers insurers to make more accurate, data-driven underwriting decisions.

Chris Clark (RocketDNA)

Experience and Background

Christopher Clark is the Managing Director and CEO of RocketDNA Ltd, bringing over two decades of experience in mining technology, enterprise sales, and operational leadership. Since his appointment in December 2020, Chris has led RocketDNA’s transformation into a leader in AI-powered autonomous drone solutions for mission-critical industries.

With a background in enterprise technology systems, Chris has a strong track record of helping customers optimise complex processes through personalised, scalable solutions. His leadership approach is driven by collaboration, innovation, and long-term partnerships – traits that have helped expand RocketDNA’s Tier-1 client base and drive adoption of its xBot® and SiteTube® platforms.

Chris is passionate about applying automation and AI to deliver practical insights that save clients time, reduce risk, and improve safety. Under his guidance, RocketDNA has established a 24/7 Remote Operating Centre in Perth, secured dual BARS Gold Certification across Australia and Africa, and expanded its footprint into international mining, government, and infrastructure sectors.

He remains focused on building partnerships that deliver mutual growth and value, while positioning RocketDNA at the forefront of global autonomous drone operations and data intelligence.

Company Background:

RocketDNA Ltd (ASX: RKT) is a multinational drone-based data service and technology provider, listed on the ASX, offering aerial surveying, mapping, security, surveillance, and asset inspection for enterprise customers in the mining, agricultural, and engineering sectors. Through fully-outsourced, AI-driven solutions, RocketDNA remotely operates drone systems, enabling customers to focus on ground operations while ensuring fast data turnaround. The company generates revenue through multi-year contracts and short-term projects with major clients, including Tier 1 and Tier 2 miners such as Rio Tinto, BHP, South32, Newmont, Vault Minerals, and Seriti Coal. RocketDNA operates primarily in Australia and Africa, with regional offices in Perth, Johannesburg, and Accra.

Luke Quinn and Andrei Petric (SiteAssist)

Experience and Background

Luke and Andrei are two of three Cofounders of the Business. Luke’s background was in legal and insurance before making the move into tech. Andrei joined as the CTO bringing a wealth of technical ability as a full stack engineer. Both are passionate about Safety and digitising complex business processes and are looking to better understand the mining sector as a hole.

Company Background:

SiteAssist is an end-to-end Control of Works platform for high-risk industries, digitising and enforcing safety-critical processes to reduce risk, ensure compliance, and empower frontline teams. Structured workflows, hold points, geolocation, and live site mapping drive measurable improvements in safety and operational control. AI models identify hazards, verify equipment via OCR, and our Document Engine cross-checks RAMS and permits, flagging inconsistencies in real time.

The result: fewer incidents, reduced liability exposure, standardised delivery of safe work, and greater efficiency across every site.

Water Water Everywhere

Moderator:

James Fryer (Inigo)

Experience and Background:

Presenters:

Dr Kym Morton (KLM Consulting Services)

Experience and Background:

Dr Kym Morton has over forty years’ of groundwater consulting experience globally, in the application and design of mine water strategy, including mud rush prevention, slope stability, tailings dam monitoring, mine water control, underground and open pit dewatering design, pollution control, safety monitoring and environmental protection. Kym has worked on over 300 mines internationally in all climate and geological regimes. KLM Consulting Services has developed a niche expertise advising mining companies on how to identify water risk, reduce operational costs by creating preventative programmes and undertaking incident advanced planning for water diversion and mud rush control. Kym has also been an Expert Witness on investigations of major water incidents and fatalities. Kym is a member of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy tailings steering committee, Global Action on Tailings (GAT), Global Minerals Professional Alliance (GMPA); and Ramsar. She brings pragmatic advice to tailings monitoring, flood risk assessment, mine dewatering design and open pit to underground block cave transformation which enables detailed cost and risk reduction. Kym has discovered new, deep aquifers for water supply in Southern Africa and is an author of many technical publications. She was the first female board member (after 100 years) for the Council for Geosciences for South Africa, (previously The Geological Survey). She is a registered chartered geologist in the UK and a Fellow of the SAIMM (FSAIMM), The UK Geological Society (FGS) and the South African Society (FGSSA).

Qualifications are PhD in mining hydrology from Imperial College London, MSc in Hydrogeology from University College London, BSc honours from Kings college London and an MBA from Imperial College London. She also holds a commercial pilot and instructors rating for fixed wing aircraft and have amassed over 9000 hours.

Projects/Construction

Moderator:

Paul Latimer (Integra Risk Services)

Experience and Background:

Paul has a Masters Degree in Civil Engineering Design and Management and commenced his insurance career with Willis in their Construction Team working primarily on UK and International project specific placements before joining JLT on their Project Solutions team. After 10 years placing Construction Risks, Paul established the Catlin Construction and Engineering portfolio which grew to encompass a team of 30 underwriters operating out of 16 offices Worldwide. He then moved to the Travelers Syndicate to establish their International Construction Portfolio and subsequently became part of the leadership team. Whilst there he served as chairman of the LMA Engineering Panel and deputy chairman of the Non-Marine Panel. Paul joined the leadership team of Integra in September 2021 to establish Integra Risk Services, to bring the lessons learnt from the loss adjusting practice to insurers, brokers and their insureds through a Risk Engineering Practice with a particular focus on the Mining Sector.

Presenters:

Matthew Payne (Hindsight Risk Engineering)

Experience and Background:

Matthew Payne is Director of Hindsight Risk Engineering, which he founded in 2024 to provide mining and risk engineering advisory services to the insurance and mining industries. With 22 years’ experience spanning technical, project development and operational roles, he has worked with major miners including Anglo American, BHP, Rio Tinto and Vale, as well as in global risk engineering with Swiss Re and Hindsight. He is a Chartered Mining Engineer, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and serves on the NFPA 120/122 and MIRA Technical Committees.

Koketso Shabalala (SHA Risk Specialists)

Experience and Background

Koketso Shabalala is the Head for Construction and Africa at Santam Specialist Solutions Casualty. He holds a B comm from the University of Johannesburg and a Certificate in insurance from Insurance Institute of London.

Koketso has been in the insurance industry for 15 years having worked for two multi-national insurers in the Construction and Engineering departments and also spent 3 years as a Senior Broker in the construction department for an international insurance brokerage.

Koketso has been with Santam Casualty for 4 years and is currently responsible for General Liability and Professional Indemnity insurance for companies in the construction industry. As part of his role, he is also responsible for business development for the Santam Casualty Cluster across the African continent.

Lorraine McGorian (BHP)

Experience and Background:

Insurance Market Discussion

Moderator:

Paul Pryor (Aon)

Experience and Background:

Paul has over 35 years’ experience in the mining insurance industry having worked with several leading insurance broking firms in various countries.

Currently at Aon as their Global Mining Practice Leader since February 2016 where he joined from Bowring Marsh London where he headed up their Mining Practice between 2014 and 2016. Prior to this Paul was the Managing Principal and Mining Practice Leader for the Asia Pacific Region for Marsh from 2007 to 2014. Prior to 2007 Paul was the Mining Practice Leader for Alexander Forbes in South Africa for over 16 years.

Paul has enjoyed a career in providing risk management, risk financing and complex claims solutions to major mining organisations in all parts of the world. Paul has good relationships with a number of local and global mining organisations as well as companies in the insurance world.

Paul is a qualified professional engineer with degrees in:

Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering
Bachelor’s degree in Commerce

Paul is based in Melbourne, Australia but assists all regions with their respective mining specialties and client portfolios.

Panel Members:

Debbie Geraghty

Experience and Background:

35 years of insurance, risk management and risk advisory services experience for large South African and multinational mining clients. Debbie started her mining insurance career at Alexander Forbes on Billiton and Xstrata / Glencore accounts in 1999. Since then, she has been involved in placement, claims, servicing, risk finance and captive boards with many Global and South African mining companies.

Debbie headed up the Marsh South Africa Mining Practice from 2012 to 2022 and has attended more than 100 underwriting surveys with Insurer Engineers.

Debbie has been directly involved in the settlement of surface, underground, fire, explosion, accidental damage, machinery breakdown mining losses ranging from R100 Million to R1 Billion.

Debbie is a Fellow of the Insurance Institute of South Africa.

Chester Rambau

Experience and Background

Chester has over 17 years’ experience in the insurance and risk industry, with extensive expertise across corporate property underwriting, risk governance, and client engagement.

He currently serves as Executive Head: Underwriting and Risk for Santam Corporate Property, where he provides strategic leadership of the national corporate property underwriting portfolio. In this role, Chester drives underwriting strategy, ensures disciplined risk selection and pricing adequacy, and oversees the development of policy wordings and governance frameworks that support Santam’s growth and profitability objectives.

Before assuming his current role, Chester held senior underwriting positions at Emerald Risk Transfer (now Santam Corporate Property), where he led teams responsible for complex risk placements, reinsurance arrangements, and portfolio performance. His earlier career includes leadership roles at Marsh Africa and Alexander Forbes, focusing on risk management for mining, metals, and large corporate clients.

Chester has a strong technical foundation in risk assessment, reinsurance, and portfolio management, and is recognised for his collaborative leadership style and commitment to client-centric underwriting solutions.

Qualifications:

Com. (Honours) in Insurance and Risk Management – University of the Witwatersrand
Leadership Development Programme – Gordon Institute of Business Science

Spencer Pearce

Experience and Background

With over 30 years of experience in the insurance and reinsurance industry, Pearce has held senior roles in both underwriting and broking. He began his career as an underwriter, specializing in the mining and power generation business for companies such as AXA, AIG, and Chubb.

In the early 2000s, he transitioned into a broking role, working with clients on a global scale at firms including Marsh, Aon, and JLT. Prior to joining BMS, Pearce was at Canopius, where he was responsible for all natural resources business, including construction, and helped set up new lines of business within Lloyds.

In his current role at BMS, which is based in London, Pearce is responsible for expanding the firm’s mining practice into new territories and enhancing its offerings by integrating complementary product lines to add value for clients. He is also described as having extensive experience in managing complex insurance solutions and fostering client relationships.

James Hadley

Experience and Background

With over ten years’ experience in the UK insurance market and the majority of those spent underwriting, James specializes in complex industry-sectors with a large focus on the mining sector. Holding a Diploma in Geotechnical Engineering (UK) and a Professional Certificate in Tailings Management (Australian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy), James aims to continue to develop his knowledge of the various exposures of the mining industry, with a particular focus on those exposures linked to mine construction, tailings storage facilities, and underground operations conducted by mining companies. Additionally, James is seeking to expand Starr’s portfolio related to the various contractor trades operating in and supporting the mining and metallurgy sector.

In 2026, James aims to pursue a more collaborative approach to mining risks with his first-party mining peers at Starr. It is well recognized by Starr that greater collaboration between the two teams – as well as involving Starr’s Engineering division where necessary – should in all likelihood contribute to Starr providing a more defined and ultimately better offering for its global mining clients and those who operate within the ancillary mining service sector.

James attended the previous MIRA conference in Vancouver in November 2023, as well as attending and involving himself in the Tailings and Mine Waste Conference also in Vancouver the week prior.

Abstract:
This session delivers an update on the global mining market, focusing specifically on claims and risk trends and insurance coverage insights. The panel of representatives from both the underwriter and broker sector will discuss how market conditions have changed over the past year and how the impact of claims and emerging mining risks are impacting insurance needs for mining companies and the response of insurers and brokers to provide solutions to these needs.

Conference 2026

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Conference 2026

Who Attends the MIRA Conference?

Sponsors

Conference 2026

Ian Clendenning

Susan Zabolotniuk

James Fryer

MIRA Board Q&A

Paul Wordley

Lorraine McGorian

Will Fremlin-Key

Ian Clendenning

James Fryer

Susan Zabolotniuk

Tom Holliday

Claims & Lessons Learned

Tom Holliday

Paul Wordley

Heap Leach Facilities

Gareth Williams

Mark Smith

Dirk Van Zyl

Tom Clapton

Daniel Landers

Creating Captive Value

Stefan Swanepoel

Deepak Mohan

Stuart Hill

Itumeleng Lebepe

Demystifying Mills & Machinery

James Fryer

Jarrod Hofmann

William Quinn

Christopher Dix

Technical Advisory Session

Tim Cotton

Lane Boss

Jon Nelson

Embracing Digital Strategies

Jerry Wallace

Reijo Pold

Chris Clark

Luke Quinn

Andrei Petric

Water Water Everywhere

James Fryer

Dr Kym Morton

Projects/Construction

Paul Latimer

Matthew Payne

Koketso Shabalala

Lorraine McGorian

Insurance Market Discussion

Paul Pryor

Debbie Geraghty

Chester Rambau

Spencer Pearce

James Hadley

Geopolitics

James Fryer