• IN THE STOPE
adds , “ I grew through the ranks at ABB , becoming an engineering section head in 2008 , and then slowly moved into business development and grew to where I am today .
“ I spent a few years doing good old-fashioned engineering . Based at plants , I was involved in engineering , design and commissioning of control systems . Those years at the coalface , as it were , stood me in good stead when I moved into management , as I understood the reality of what it is to work on a plant , and what the constraints and challenges are in running an operation .”
When asked what she construes as her ‘ big break ’ in her career culminating in her current leadership role , Kikonyogo responds , “ I don ' t look back and see one single big break opportunity over the course of my career . As an adult looking back , it ’ s clear that advancement or success can very rarely , if ever , be ascribed to one big event . Rather , it is the culmination of several small assignments that grow in scope and exposure . For me , each step in my career was almost like a natural progression from the previous step , right up to my current role .”
The first commercial SA solar PV plants Kikonyogo recalls a professional highlight in 2013 / 14 in leading the team that established the operation and maintenance philosophies on four of the first local solar PV plants in South Africa . This project was the first round of a renewable energy independent power producer procurement programme . She explains , “ These plants were commercial scale power plants , which would ultimately sell power into the grid for use by the economy . The project stands out for me because that particular sector was new in South Africa at the time and there was little to no local expertise in the operation of solar PV plants on a commercial scale . We had to build the teams from scratch and meet performance guarantees on those plants . Making it a major feat at the time . Even though the building of the solar plants had been happening for a while , when it came to operating them commercially , it was a new endeavour . The team however pulled it off and operated the plants successfully , as well as delivering on both guaranteed plant performance and the safety aspects of the operations . I am very proud to have been part of that team at the time . We are still involved in the operation of two of those plants today .”
The energy transformation In her current role at ABB heading up the energy industries division of the company for southern Africa , it is Kikonyogo ’ s responsibility to lead the business through the energy transformation the industry is facing , whilst keeping up with industry trends and growing the business . She details her responsibilities , “ This involves managing our external customers and internal teams . It is the goal of the company to get as close as possible to customers ( the off takers of energy ), independent power producers , utilities like Eskom , mining plants that set up their own small power plants to offset grid electricity , and those who build the plants that supply energy across the whole industry , from coal fired energy through to wind and solar .”
Energy is the backbone on which all other industries lean . It is core to my function to ensure that we anticipate challenges in our market , and that ABB is positioned to meet these demands and to support energy infrastructure ,” says Kikonyogo .
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24 • African Mining • June 2022 www . africanmining . co . za