Philip began his career in 1973, holding various general management positions in South Africa before moving to Australia. He became the project manager of the Argyle diamond project in Western Australia, and then executive chairman and part-owner of Nedpac Engineering between 1982-1990.
After selling his shares in Nedpac, he spent a few years as consultant in the mining industry, including a period with Rio Tinto’s Hamersley Iron, and with various projects in Zimbabwe and Zambia. In 1996, Philip co-founded First Quantum, serving as chairman since its inception and chief executive officer until 2022.
Under his leadership, Philip instilled an entrepreneurial and bold culture that saw the company grow from a 10,000-tonne tailings re-processor with the Bwana Mkubwa project in Zambia to one of the world’s largest copper producers with operations spanning five continents and employing more than 20,000 people globally.
Amongst the many legacies he leaves behind, the greatest source of Philip’s pride were the many programs for the local communities in which First Quantum operates, bringing improved standards of health and education in often remote places, the company stated.
Following Philip’s passing, the board of directors has voted to elect Robert Harding, who has been a director of First Quantum since 2013, as the interim chairman. As chair of the nominating and governance committee, Harding oversaw the company’s succession planning process that led to Tristan’s appointment as CEO in May 2022.
“We are all indebted to Phillip for his extraordinary leadership at First Quantum, setting us firmly on the path to the modern, multi-national mining company that we are today. Philip was a friend and mentor and his passing will be profoundly felt across the company and the many people and lives he impacted as a result of his vision,” Harding stated.
This article was published by: Jackson Chen
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