By: Creamer media

Following the appointment, executive chairperson Josef El-Raghy will transition to the role of nonexecutive chairperson.

Diederichs is a qualified engineer with more than 20 years’ experience in the mining industry, with a background in project development and operations across several African jurisdictions. He is currently COO of ASX-listed Predictive Discovery, which is advancing the Tier 1 Bankan gold project in Guinea and is engaged in a merger-of-equals transaction with ASX- and TSX-listed Robex Resources.

Prior to this, he was MD and CEO of OreCorp, where he led the advancement of the Nyanzaga gold project in Tanzania until its acquisition by Perseus Mining in April 2024.

He has also held senior leadership roles at Equinox Minerals, including involvement in the development and operation of the Lumwana copper mine in Zambia, one of Africa’s largest openpit copper operations. The mine was constructed at a capital cost of more than $800-million and was later acquired by Barrick Gold for $7-billion in 2011.

The leadership transition comes as Wia progresses Kokoseb toward a definitive feasibility study, which is targeted for completion in the second half of 2026. The project completed a scoping study in September 2025.