Robin Fleming, Chief Executive of Bank South Pacific – Papua New Guinea’s biggest bank – says foreign exchange availability is improving. In this exclusive interview with Business Advantage PNG, he also discusses BSP’s approach to risk, and its new digital offerings.
Canadian-listed company Cobalt 27 has acquired Highlands Pacific, principally for its interest in the Ramu nickel-cobalt mine in Papua New Guinea. The corporate play will mean divestment of non-core PNG assets.
Developers Newcrest Mining and Harmony Gold have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Papua New Guinea Government for the development of the Wafi-Golpu copper-gold mine in PNG’s Morobe Province. While the MOU indicates negotiations are proceeding well, there is still plenty of work to be done before the project gets a green light from government, local communities and investors.
Carolyn Blacklock, the acting Managing Director of PNG Power, says the money that will come from the Papua New Guinea Electrification Partnership established at APEC will greatly assist the roll out of electricity. She says PNG Power has sharply increased the number of connections it is making and is aiming to concentrate on hydropower.
Kumul Consolidated Holdings, the holding company for Papua New Guinea’s state-owned enterprises (SOEs), has released its Year in Review. It says that 2018 has been ‘particularly difficult and challenging’ for the country’s SOEs and that a fundamental change is necessary if the enterprises are to expand.
Kina Bank’s vision is to be the country’s leading digital bank, CEO Greg Pawson tells Business Advantage PNG. He says the bank is preparing to take over ANZ PNG’s retail, commercial and SME businesses.
Canadian miner K92 has found new ore and is ramping up its operations at its Kainantu mine in Papua New Guinea’s Eastern Highlands Province. In this exclusive interview, Chief Executive John Lewins tells Business Advantage PNG that the company is now profitable and has an anticipated mine life of over 15 years.
French super major Total will look to have a final gas agreement with the Papua New Guinea government for the Papua LNG project by March 2019. If the project gets the final go-ahead, production should start in 2024, according to Jean-Marc Noiray, Managing Director of Total E&P PNG.
Neil Chapman, Senior Vice President of ExxonMobil, told the APEC CEO Summit earlier this month that LNG capacity in Papua New Guinea could double. He claimed the global shift to natural gas to reduce carbon emissions is favouring the industry.
LNG and oil prices have weakened but the cocoa price has strengthened. Business Advantage PNG’s monthly review of Papua New Guinea commodities and financial markets.