Former Bank of America Merrill Lynch broker to head up IMIC’s investor relations

International Mining and Infrastructure Corporation (IMIC), which specializes in ‘unlocking the value of African iron ore through infrastructure development and strategic investments in junior miners’, has named Will Smith – a ‘highly experienced’ investment banker and business analyst – as its new head of corporate development and IR.

Smith boasts an ‘impressive track record’ in corporate broking, most recently at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, according to an IMIC press statement. During his seven years at the investment bank, Smith worked closely with both base and precious metal mining clients, making him well placed for a role at IMIC.

Welcoming Smith to the firm, chairman Haresh Kanabar says ‘[Smith’s] experience of equity capital markets and his track record of working with natural resources companies will be of huge value to IMIC as we continue to make progress with our strategy for unlocking the value of iron ore in Africa.’

In addition to Smith’s IR duties, his focus will be on identifying – and realizing – opportunities to create long-term value in line with the firm’s current African iron ore infrastructure.

This is IMIC’s second high-profile appointment in a fortnight: the company named mining veteran Mohamedoune Khalifa Ould Beyah as its new chief operating officer on September 19. Khalifa moves to IMIC from Mauritania’s state-owned iron ore company and the second-largest iron ore producer in Africa, Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière, which he joined as an electrical engineer in 1981.