Ralf Hennecke has been appointed as the MD of BME, a division of the Omnia Group, with effect from 1 December 2021. BME is a leading manufacturer and supplier of explosives products, technology and blasting services to the mining, quarrying and construction industries across many African countries, Asia Pacific and North America.
BME has a balanced presence in sectors that are essential to the sustainable use of the world’s finite resources and focuses on developing intellectual property to add value to the global mining sector.
“It is an honour to accept this role, and with the support of my team, we are deeply committed to executing on BME’s growth plans across our global markets. We will achieve this through consistent product, technology and services delivery, close customer and stakeholder relationships and partnerships, whilst playing our part as a responsible and sustainable corporate citizen in the mining sector,” says Hennecke.
The recent launch of AXXIS Titanium, one of the world’s most advanced electronic blast detonation systems, greater customer focus on ESG and innovative technology will play a key role in driving growth, while the “Blast Alliance” approach will further entrench the division’s reputation as a collaborative partner. BME was recently awarded the prestigious Best Mining Practices in Indonesia and the South African CAIA Responsible Care award for its application of used oil in our explosive emulsions.
“In line with Omnia’s growth strategy, it is vital to ensure that we have the leadership bench strength required to achieve our ambitions. It thus gives me great pleasure to welcome Ralf in his new role. Ralf’s wealth of experience and understanding of our Group allows us to continue to execute on our growth strategy,” comments Seelan Gobalsamy, CEO of the Omnia Group.
Ralf started his career in 1987 at Rand Mines Limited. He was employed at Johannesburg Consolidated Investments (JCI), following which he joined Omnia BME in 1995. He has deep operational, marketing, sales, commercial and technical expertise. Ralf has been part of BME’s executive team for over 20 years and played a key role in BME’s recent global corporate development and strategy. In July 2021, Ralf was promoted to the position of Managing Director for BME SADC. Ralf holds a NHD in Mining, a Mine Managers’ Certificate of Competency and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA).
