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SimFer appoints Kox Gomba as Directeur General as Chris Aitchison moves to global Rio Tinto role

September 2, 2026

Conakry, Guinea – SimFer today announced that Chris Aitchison, Directeur General, will be leaving Guinea and Simandou to take up a new role as Rio Tinto’s Head of Projects. He will be succeeded by Kox Gomba, SimFer’s current Chief Operating Officer who will lead SimFer as Simandou enters its next phase of growth.

Kox Gomba, Directeur General of SimFer

Chris has led the project since 2022 from the early construction of the SimFer mine and related infrastructure through initial production and exports. Kox joined Simandou in May this year after a 20 year career across global mining.

Elias Scafidas, Managing Director of Rio Tinto Iron Ore International Operations and Chairman of SimFer SA said: “Kox brings exceptional operational experience and is well placed to lead SimFer in the next phase of its development as we move towards the ramp up of operations and relentlessly focus on developing value for our partners and stakeholders.”

“What we have already achieved at Simandou is testament to Chris’s energy, resilience and care towards every one of the thousands of people involved in the project. He hands over a business with incredible potential and we will always be grateful for what he has done.”

Chris Aitchison said: “Leading the SimFer team has been an incredibly humbling and enriching experience. I sincerely thank my colleagues, our partners, the Government and the people of Guinea for their support and for allowing me to build a life here over the past four years. I will take away incredible memories and strong friendships, and I look forward to watching Simandou succeed under Kox’s leadership as it ramps up operations and supports Guinea’s development.”

Kox Gomba said: “It is an incredible honour to take on the leadership of Rio Tinto SimFer at this important moment. Simandou is a project of extraordinary importance for Guinea, our partners and our workforce and I will work hard every day to build the safest and most successful business possible, working with all partners to maximise our positive impact for the Guinean people.”

Note to Editors

Kox Gomba is an experienced mining executive with more than 20 years of operational and leadership experience spanning mining, mineral processing, engineering and asset management. He joined SimFer as Chief Operating Officer in 2026, preparing the business for the transition from construction to operations.

Kox has spent nearly eight years with Rio Tinto. Before Simandou, he served as Chief Operating Officer of Richards Bay Minerals in South Africa, where he led one of the world’s leading mineral sands operations. In this role, he championed local content and operational excellence, strengthened safety performance and successfully delivered major business transformation initiatives.