Editing Lonmin (section)

==History==
The company was incorporated in the United Kingdom on 13 May 1909 as the '''Lon'''don and [[Rhodesia (region)|'''Rho'''desia]]n Mining and Land Company Limited.<ref>{{Cite book|editor=Bower, Melvin E.|title=Colonialism: an International Social, Cultural and Political Encyclopedia|location=Santa Barbara|publisher=ABC-CLIO|year=2003|isbn=1-57607-335-1|pages=350–351}}</ref> It had a founding capital of £1300, which was raised by seven shareholders. Led by Julius Weil, the company started to invest in mining rights in Rhodesia. In 1912 Lonrho started to invest in farming land as well and by 1945 it had become Rhodesia's biggest company.<ref>{{Cite book|editor=Bower, Tom|title=Tiny Rowland - A Rebel Tycoon|location=London|publisher=Mandarin Paperbacks|year=1994|isbn=0-7493-1433-8|pages=50–51}}</ref>

Businessman [[Tiny Rowland]] was recruited as chief executive in 1962.<ref name="bbc">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/139614.stm Tiny in name, not in nature] BBC News, July 1998</ref> For many years during the second half of the twentieth century it was frequently in the news, not only due to the politically sensitive part of the world in which it had mining businesses, but also &ndash; as it strove to become a [[conglomerate (company)|conglomerate]] not wholly dependent on these businesses &ndash; in a number of takeover battles, most notably for the [[Harrods]] of [[Knightsbridge]] department store.<ref name="bbc"/>

In 1968, Lonrho acquired [[Ashanti Goldfields Corporation]], a gold mining business in [[Ghana]].<ref>{{Cite news
|title=Ashanti-Lonrho: terms agreed
|work=The Times
|author=Berry Ritchie
|date=24 October 1968}}</ref> The former Conservative minister [[Duncan Sandys]], a director of Ashanti, became Lonrho's chairman in 1972.<ref>{{Cite book
|title=Duncan Sandys
|work=Who was Who
|publisher=A&C Black
|date=January 2007}}</ref>

Sir [[Angus Ogilvy]], married to a member of the British royal family ([[Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy|Princess Alexandra]]), was a Lonrho director and this increased media interest in the company's affairs. Ogilvy's career ended when Lonrho was involved in a sanctions-busting scandal concerning trade with Rhodesia. Prime Minister, [[Edward Heath]], criticised the company, describing it in the [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]] in 1973 as "an unpleasant and unacceptable face of capitalism."<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/139596.stm Tiny Rowland: African Giant], BBC News, July 1998</ref>

By 1979, Lonrho employed 140,000 people worldwide.<ref name="Jones2000">{{cite book|author=Geoffrey Jones|title=Merchants to Multinationals: British Trading Companies in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q-uCPTZMDmQC|year=2000|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-829450-4|page=156}}</ref>

During the 1980s, Lonrho entered the British newspaper market, buying the Sunday newspaper ''[[The Observer]]'' in 1981<ref name="observer">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/newsroom/story/0,,735573,00.html |title=Observer text timeline |work=The Guardian|location=UK |date= 16 December 2008|accessdate=18 April 2011}}</ref> and the newly launched daily ''[[Today (UK newspaper)|Today]]'' in 1986.<ref>{{Cite news|author=Steve Lohr |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DEED81138F932A25752C1A96E948260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all |title=A second life! |work=The New York Times|date=11 November 1988 |accessdate=18 April 2011}}</ref> ''Today'' was sold to [[News International]] the following year,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ketupa.net/murdoch2.htm |title=Murdoch |publisher=Ketupa |accessdate=18 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303174536/http://ketupa.net/murdoch2.htm |archive-date=3 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> while the [[Guardian Media Group]] bought the ''Observer'' in 1993.<ref name="observer"/>

Tiny Rowland was finally ejected from Lonrho in October 1993 after a boardroom tussle with director Dieter Bock.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ipsen |first=Erik |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/1993/10/20/lonrho.php |title=Boardroom rebellion demotes Tiny Rowland |work=International Herald Tribune |date=20 October 1993 |accessdate=18 April 2011}}</ref> He was replaced by Nick Morrell, a former chief executive of [[The Observer]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/4474988/Morrell-swaps-platinum-for-financial-PR.html|title=Morrell swaps platinum for financial PR|date=10 December 2000|newspaper=The Telegraph|accessdate=25 March 2013}}</ref>

Two months before Rowland's death (on 26 July 1998) the assets of Lonrho were split. Two publicly listed companies, Lonrho plc and [[Lonrho|Lonrho Africa plc]] were created &ndash; the former retaining all the non-African businesses and mining assets.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.btimes.co.za/98/0517/comp/comp5.htm |title=Lonhro Africa keen not to lose its flair |publisher=Btimes.co.za |accessdate=18 April 2011}}</ref> In 1999, Lonrho plc was renamed as '''Lonmin plc''' and a new era as a focused mining company began.<ref>[http://www.moneyweb.co.za/mw/view/mw/en/page295164?oid=534411&sn=2009+Detail&pid=295164 The Investment Case – Lonmin plc] Moneyweb, 1 April 2011</ref> In 2000 Gordon Haslem became CEO.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=1779682&ticker=AQP:AU&previousCapId=4492817&previousTitle=PANAUST%20LTD|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602092502/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=1779682&ticker=AQP:AU&previousCapId=4492817&previousTitle=PANAUST%20LTD|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 June 2013|title=Gordon Edward Haslam|magazine=Business Week|accessdate=25 March 2013}}</ref>

In 2004 Brad Mills became CEO: Mills in turn announced his intention to resign from his position in 2008. Mills leaves behind a "significant contribution in developing the company over the past four years" according to chairperson, [[Sir John Craven]], as his introduction of mechanized mining has increased safety for the miners, as well as increasing productivity.<ref>{{cite web|author=Chanel de Bruyn |url=http://www.miningweekly.com/article/lonmins-mills-quits-as-xstrata-deadline-approaches-farmer-named-ceo-2008-09-29 |title=Farmer named CEO |publisher=Miningweekly.com |accessdate=18 April 2011}}</ref> Lonmin indicated that former chief strategic officer responsible for the company's business development, Ian Farmer, would replace him.<ref>{{cite web|author=Chanel de Bruyn |url=http://www.miningweekly.com/article.php?a_id=143997 |title=Lonmin's Mills quits as Xstrata deadline approaches, Farmer named CEO |publisher=Miningweekly.com |accessdate=18 April 2011}}</ref>

On 1 October 2008, after building a 24.9% stake in Lonmin, [[Xstrata]] announced it was not proceeding with a takeover pitched at £33 per Lonmin share, blaming the failure of its bid on "unprecedented uncertainty in financial markets" caused by the [[2007–2008 financial crisis]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2008/oct/02/lonmin.xstrata |title=Credit crisis forces Xstrata to ditch Lonmin bid |newspaper=The Guardian |date=2 October 2008 |accessdate=18 April 2011 |location=London |first=Terry |last=MacAlister}}</ref> Xstrata and its 24.9% stake in Lonmin was later acquired by [[Glencore]] on 2 May 2013.<ref name=completes>{{cite web|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9d355d82-b31a-11e2-95b3-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2SGZjwRFS|title=Glencore finishes takeover of Xstrata|publisher=FT.com|date=2 May 2013|accessdate=3 May 2013}}</ref> Glencore announced on 11 February 2015 that it intends to divest its 23.9% stake in Lonmin, which it inherited through the acquisition of Xstrata. Glencore's divestment in Lonmin will be implemented by way of a distribution in specie to Glencore shareholders.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://otp.investis.com/clients/uk/glencore1/rns/regulatory-story.aspx?cid=275&newsid=483966|title=Glencore's 23.9% stake in Lonmin plc|publisher=glencore.com|date=11 February 2015|accessdate=11 February 2015}}</ref>

Farmer resigned as CEO in 2012 for health reasons.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-20858639|title=Platinum miner Lonmin CEO Ian Farmer stands down|publisher=BBC|date=28 December 2012|accessdate=18 April 2011}}</ref>

In October 2017, the Mining Forum of South Africa (MFSA) and Bapo ba Mogale Investments (BBMI) pleaded to President Jacob Zuma to suspend Lonmin's operating licence over non-compliance with its social and labour plan (SLP) for the years 2014 to 2018.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Lonmin hits back at calls to shut down its operations |url=http://www.fin24.com/Companies/Mining/lonmin-hits-back-at-calls-to-shut-down-its-operations-20171029-3 |access-date=2017-10-31 |work=Fin24}}</ref>

In 2019, Lonmin was acquired by [[Sibanye-Stillwater]].