Ishmael Cyprian Oppong
Summary
Dynamic Business Improvement Specialist with a proven track record at Newmont Mining Corporation, driving continuous improvement initiatives that generated $8M in value. Expert in Lean Six Sigma methodologies and asset management, fostering team development and enhancing operational efficiency. Skilled in problem-solving and project management, achieving significant performance enhancements across mining operations.
Overview
34
34
years of professional experience
Work History
Business Improvement Specialist
Perseus Gold Mining Company
01.2024 - Current
- Leading Business Improvement program in the entire company at Edikan Mine 100KOZ, Yaoure 250KOZ and Sissingue 65KOZ reporting to the COO.
- At par with all the GMs on sites and Tanzania in the project state.
- Managed the Operational MOS (Mining and Processing operations and maintenance) and three mining contractors to deliver mining targets.
- Used Lean Six Sigma methodology in driving projects from start to completions.
Consultant
01.2023 - 12.2023
- Business Improvement –Process Efficiency, Waste elimination, Cost reduction.
- Experience in 5 mining multinational companies.
- Maintenance and Reliability Engineering for (open pit and underground mining, fixed and mobile equipment).
- Maintenance Optimization, Defect elimination, RCM and improvement of availability, Equipment Excellence implementation.
- Asset Management framework implementation and auditing
- Implementation and auditing of Management Operating systems (MOS)
- Lean Six Sigma Practitioner, Kaizen event facilitator.
- Trainer (Six Sigma -Yellow belt, White and Green Belt)
Manager, Business Improvement
AngloGold Ashanti
04.2019 - 11.2022
- Led Business Improvement initiatives and strategies at process plant and underground for both maintenance and Operations.
- Engineering Assurance team member to oversee alliance maintenance strategy including the underground fleet asset management performance.
- Check KPIs of the key metrics such as availability and reliability metrics such as MTBF and MTBR of key equipment such as trucks, loaders, drills.
- The focus area included availability and reliability improvements.
- Trained 100 employees on selected Lean Six Sigma Tools and methodology and application to projects underground and surface.
- Optimization of the vertical transport to produce 3,000t.p. d. through RCA, FMEA.
- Achievements
- Trained 200 staff on CI tools - 5S, Value stream mapping, Poke Yoke, 8 Waste, Project Selection, Process mapping, Basic statistics (simple regression, histogram, box plot, control charts and variance analysis). FMEA. Set up reductions etc.
- Let a team of maintenance and mining optimize the vertical shaft to improve production by 50% (1,550tpd to 3,000t.p.d.)
- Championed all 5S for three workshops by training engineering team to implement. Increase space by over 60% and reduce response time to breakdown and emergencies by 20%
- Reduction of reagents such as Copper Sulphate at the plant to improve recovery by 5% with $70,000/yr.
- Audited the asset management of mobile equipment and process plant to improve maturity levels.
Senior Manager - Engineering Services/Infrastructure
Newmont Mining Corporation (Ahafo Mine Site)
01.2014 - 06.2018
- Led asset management on-site and workshop infrastructure including camp facilities
- Responsible for the design and construction of all projects in mining and processing
- Residence engineer on the entire mine site and ensured compliance with legal and other requirements regarding the health and Safety of all engineering equipment including the fleet of equipment, mill, crusher, cranes, and all mining equipment.
- Ensured compliance with regulation LI2182 of all engineering standards on the surface and underground equipment
- Member of the site leadership team at Ahafo steering committee for the entire operations, business improvement, and project capital valuation.
- Oversaw recruitment of all engineers up to engineering managers on-site with HR for surface and underground and ensured that they have MINCOM certificate of competencies.
Director, Business Improvement /Excellence
Newmont Mining Corporation (Africa Region)
03.2010 - 12.2014
- Reported to the VP Operations in Ghana and Corporate: Group Executive, Business Improvement, in Denver, USA.
- Started and Led Newmont’s Regional Business Improvement program from foundation to maturity.
- Location at Akyem and Ahafo mines.
- Indirect reports and relationships: Two GMs, (10) Snr. Managers at each site
- Direct reports include 4 Black Belts who also supervised lower belts programs
- Achievements
- Coached and trained over 300 lean, yellow, black and green belts
- Achieved CI (Continuous Improvement) Value creation target of $8M in 2011
- Achieved and exceeded CI Value by $7M from a plan of $11M to actual of $18M.
- Implemented M.O.S(Management Operating System) in the region.
- Detailed Projects I led in Newmont Business Improvement achievements in 2012 using Lean Six Sigma, DMAIC approach for Mining, Process Plant Operations and Process Plant Maintenance
Business Improvement Manager
Barrick Gold Mine North Mara Tanzania
01.2008 - 12.2010
- Responsible for improving the Mining and Process Plant Maintenance performance using Six Sigma to improve KPIs and the Lean toolbox.
- Key responsibility improving performance of crusher, apron feeder, crusher maintenance, conveyors, CIL tanks and agitators as well as component rebuild.
- Improve scheduled maintenance by introducing pre-inspections prior to scheduling maintenance.
- Improved availability, utilization and usage of drills, trucks (785C), loaders and dozers through CAT Alliance.
- Responsible for all Continuous Improvement within all company Alliances, OEMs, e.g., Orica, CAT and Sandvik.
- Achievements
- Improve 785C dump truck tires from 3,000hrs to 5,000hrs. Using the DMAIC methodology of SIXSIGMA.
- Improved shutdown durations, by timing activities and reviewing the actual times at post shut down meetings.
- Achieve work order closure of 90% from a low of 40%. This was done through improving work order management through effective planning, resourcing, and scheduling.
- Trained management including GM on some Lean CI tools such as 5S which were implemented at all workplaces including truck workshops, tire workshops and offices to improve efficiency.
- Trained mining and process maintenance supervisors on the use of CI tools to reduce waste by eliminating non-value-added activities, Problem solving skills and how to identify high value opportunities.
- Project selections. Root Cause analysis and solution prioritization to reduce variances.
Chief Engineer
Rio Tinto Alcan Bauxite, Awaso, Ghana
Awaso
01.2000 - 12.2008
- Management of process plant and mine open pit equipment maintenance.
- Managed assets on site through Life Cycle.
- Responsible for the acquisition, maintaining and retiring of the company’s entire assets which included light vehicles, the heavy mobile fleet.
- Acted for operations manager occasionally.
- Managed CAT fleet of equipment, D10N, 996F, 330, 320 excavators.
- Infrastructure as well as the process plant.
- The maintenance strategy based on equipment criticality and OEM with good work management system based on CMMS where work orders were raised and closed upon completion was used to manage maintenance.
- Condition based maintenance; monitoring based on.
- Ensured that all company assets are managed in compliance with the requirements of Government of Ghana Agencies, shareholders’ interests, environmental, health & safety legislation, and company regulations.LI2182.
- Provided strategic direction and leadership to the Mine Maintenance department.
- I identified areas for improvement and developed strategy to harness the intervention around task execution and all Engineering Capital budget and operational budget including 5-year strategic plans.
- Prepared tactical work plan for the plan including corrosion repairs, pipes, chute renewal, housing repairs that fit into the tactical plan of the operations manager.
- Managed cost by weekly, monthly explaining larger than planned variances of some unit cost to ensure maintenance cost is within budget
- Tracked capital expenditure projects by schedule and on cost.
- Achievements
- I successfully organized (6) Kaizen events on production, Maintenance, Electricity consumption reduction by 25% and procurement Improvement.
- Process plant equipment included Mill, crusher, screens conveyors, pumps, pipes
- Hot spliced for 2000m belt on a hill.
- Improved bauxite production from 3,500mt to 4,700mt. within a week by identifying the bottlenecks and implementing innovative solutions and reliability-based maintenance.
- Coached 15 Green Belts to execute 30 projects in the fixed plant ($3M in value).
- Carried out water conservation project on the mine savings $250,000.
Engineering Manager
Central African Gold, Bibiani-Ghana
Bibiani
03.2008 - 06.2008
- Managed all maintenance and Continuous Improvement program for Mining and Processing Plant of the company for both surface and underground.
General Engineering Superintendent
AngloGold Ashanti Ghana
11.1997 - 06.2000
- Managed the maintenance and reliability of all mine underground infrastructure including winders, compressors, crushers, rock breakers, conveyors, primary vent fans, pump stations, and Power Station.
- Led in the preparation of mine maintenance budgeting and performing capital evaluation of projects.
- Managed the maintenance team set up by developing practical training to close competency gaps.
- Performed troubleshooting to solve underground engineering equipment operational challenges.
- Communicated the sectional strategic plans for upper-level improvements to maintenance crew with the potential of aligning the company strategic objective.
- Ensured that the Engineering team-maintained equipment according to standard and delivered in a timely manner ‘fit for purpose’ to the support operational target.
- Developed and directed strategies for the maintenance department to improve equipment reliability, ensure safety, manage costs, and reduce environmental incidents.
- Managed multiple engineering contractors to deliver based on agreed project schedule.
- Led the implementation of management practices during crew engagement with the potential of impacting people’s management to leading superintendent and supervisors.
Maintenance Superintendent - Power Services
AngloGold Ashanti Ghana
11.1995 - 06.1997
- Responsible for maintenance and reliability of Power station, compressors, ventilation fans to ensure department compliance with the requirements of Government of Ghana Agencies, shareholders’ interests, environmental, health & safety legislation, and company regulations.
- Apply reliability improvement practices such vibrations analysis, lubrication, and thermography to check conditions of fan and motor bearings which area critical to operations to detect and reduce failures.
- Apply both management and people practice creating create a suitable work environment to motivate staff, employees, and business partners to achieve optimum effectiveness, productivity, and operating costs.
- Led Health and Safety standards within the work team, hold self and team accountable for demonstrating our values.
- Respond to emergency calls for maintenance and operational demands.
- Led in promoting projects and programs within the mine that encourage continuous improvement in the areas of safety, environment, production, and efficiency.
Process Plant Engineer (Workshop Engineer & Power Services)
AngloGold Ashanti Ghana (Mining)
11.1991 - 06.1995
- Engineer- Power Station
- Technical Assistant-Mechanical Graduate trainee.
Education
Postgraduate Diploma - Business Administration
University of Leicester
Leicester, England01.2009
Lean Six Sigma Trained- Green Belt and Black Belt - USA
George Group, and Acuity
USA01.2006
Advanced Management Training Program - Strategic Management, Accounting, Human Resource Management, Strategic Marketing, Operations Management, Managing Cultural Diversity
Henley Management College
England01.1999
Bachelor of Science - Mechanical Engineering
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Kumasi, Ghana01.1989
Skills
- Asset management lifecycle
- Maintenance and reliability
- Asset criticality assessment
- Reliability-centered maintenance
- Proactive maintenance strategies
- Predictive maintenance techniques
- Maintenance optimization
- Planning and scheduling
- Execution management
- SAP software proficiency
- CMMS expertise
- Key performance indicators (KPI)
- Business process improvement
- Project management skills
- Quality assurance practices
- Safety management systems
- Risk assessment methodologies
- Safe operating procedures (SOP)
- Emergency response protocols
- Training and development
- Problem-solving techniques
- Continuous improvement (CI) methodologies
- Lean principles application
- Six Sigma methodologies
- DMAIC framework expertise
- Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA)
- Failure mode, effects, and criticality analysis (FMECA)
- Pareto analysis techniques
- Fishbone diagramming
- Waste reduction strategies (8 Waste)
- 5S methodology implementation
- Defect elimination strategies
- Root cause analysis (RCA) techniques
- Value stream mapping expertise
- 5 Whys analysis technique
- Mistake-proofing methods",
Professional Memberships Certifications
- T’Bros, 2021, Certified Reliability Engineering (CRE) training
- T’Bros Excellence, 2021, Certified Reliability and Maintenance Practice
- Georges Group, USA, 2005, (Equipment Excellence, Reliability Centered Maintenance)-Black Six Sigma
- Acuity Institute, USA, 2013, Facilitation Foundation
- Project Management Consultants Limited, Ghana, 1993, Maintenance Management
- University of Leicester, Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) – MBA level
- Acuity Institute, 2011, Change Management Capability
Timeline
Business Improvement Specialist
Perseus Gold Mining Company
01.2024 - Current
Consultant
01.2023 - 12.2023
Manager, Business Improvement
AngloGold Ashanti
04.2019 - 11.2022
Senior Manager - Engineering Services/Infrastructure
Newmont Mining Corporation (Ahafo Mine Site)
01.2014 - 06.2018
Director, Business Improvement /Excellence
Newmont Mining Corporation (Africa Region)
03.2010 - 12.2014
Engineering Manager
Central African Gold, Bibiani-Ghana
03.2008 - 06.2008
Business Improvement Manager
Barrick Gold Mine North Mara Tanzania
01.2008 - 12.2010
Chief Engineer
Rio Tinto Alcan Bauxite, Awaso, Ghana
01.2000 - 12.2008
General Engineering Superintendent
AngloGold Ashanti Ghana
11.1997 - 06.2000
Maintenance Superintendent - Power Services
AngloGold Ashanti Ghana
11.1995 - 06.1997
Process Plant Engineer (Workshop Engineer & Power Services)
AngloGold Ashanti Ghana (Mining)
11.1991 - 06.1995
Postgraduate Diploma - Business Administration
University of Leicester
Lean Six Sigma Trained- Green Belt and Black Belt - USA
George Group, and Acuity
Advanced Management Training Program - Strategic Management, Accounting, Human Resource Management, Strategic Marketing, Operations Management, Managing Cultural Diversity
Henley Management College
Bachelor of Science - Mechanical Engineering
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology