Absa appoints independent non-executive director

Mozambican prominent businessman, Eduardo Mondlane, Jr. has been appointed as an independent non-executive director on the boards of Absa Group and Absa Bank, with effect from 26 September 2007.

Mondlane who has 25 years of business development and government relations expertise and extensive experience in regional infrastructure project development, principally in sub-Saharan Africa, is the son of Eduardo Mondlane, the late founder and president of the Mozambican liberation front Frelimo. 

Commenting on the appointment, Absa Group chairperson Gill Marcus says, the appointment of Eduardo Mondlane as an independent non-executive director to the Board of Absa is most welcome.
"His appointment brings with it a diversity of experience and skill, knowledge of Mozambique and wider African perspectives that can only benefit the Absa Group", she adds.

Mondlane Jr is the managing director of Ninham Shand Mozambique Lda and a consultant to various South African and multinational companies operating in sub-Saharan Africa.

While in the USA studying political science at UCLA in Los Angeles California he established and operated an African oriented Trading Company based in the USA, in the early 80's, and also set up the Mozambique Business Council in Washington D.C.

Later he moved to Italy after noticing a keen interest by various European Countries in Africa's infrastructure development. In Italy he worked with Italian Companies to assist them in the identification and development of strategically important infrastructure projects in Mozambique.

He also built a successful relationship with the Italian aerospace industry and was appointed consultant to Boeing Commercial Airplanes for Angola & Mozambique and Contract Representative for the United Technologies subsidiary, Pratt & Whitney for Cameroon, Cape Verde, Angola, Namibia and Mozambique. A position that he held for six years.

Mondlane is currently the task team initiator for Mozambique's Matola Metallurgical Complex and a member of the African Presidential roundtable.