by Kevin Crowley
(Bloomberg) – The chief executive officer of Anglo American Platinum Ltd., the world’s biggest producer of the metal, was injured by a buffalo while on holiday in December.
Chris Griffith “had an encounter with a buffalo and sustained injuries,” the Johannesburg-based company said in an e-mailed response to questions Wednesday, without saying where the attack happened. “He is back in the office; we are all wishing him a speedy recovery.” He was seen in a wheelchair this week at the Mining Indaba, an industry conference in Cape Town.
Griffith manages a R94 billion ($7 billion) company that has been selling and winding down its older, less-profitable operations to cut costs and adjust to a platinum price that has fallen 40 percent in the past five years. Sibanye Gold Ltd. bought three of the Anglo American Plc unit’s operations in South Africa last year.
In 2012, Anglo’s then CEO, Cynthia Carroll, underwent an operation following a hip injury she suffered during a horse-riding accident. Cape Buffaloes, the variety found in Africa, are considered to be among the most dangerous of wild animals.
