Meikles appoints Peresuh as second company secretary
STAFF WRITER
Meikles Limited has appointed Batanai Peresuh as its second company secretary, effective March 1, 2025, in accordance with the Companies and Other Business Entities Act.
Section 198(2) of the Act states: “The board of a public company shall appoint one or more secretaries, being a person or persons who are qualified in terms of subsection (4) to be the secretary of a public company, and who must not also hold another office as an officer of the company.”
Peresuh joins Thabani Mpofu in the company secretarial role.
“Shareholders are hereby advised of the appointment of (Batanai) Peresuh as a second company secretary, effective March 1, 2025. The appointment aligns with the provisions of the Companies and Other Business Entities Act [Chapter 24:31], Section 198(2),” Meikles said in a statement.
“The board welcomes Batanai and looks forward to his valuable contribution to the company and the group’s affairs.”
A seasoned legal professional, Peresuh brings a wealth of experience in corporate and commercial law, international trade law, and commercial litigation.
“He possesses a strong academic foundation, holding a Master of Laws in International Trade Law from Stellenbosch University, South Africa, and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Zimbabwe,” Meikles stated.
Peresuh is a registered legal practitioner, conveyancer, and notary public in Zimbabwe’s superior courts. He is also a member of the Law Society of Zimbabwe and the International Bar Association.
“He has a proven track record of leadership, having managed the corporate and commercial department at Honey & Blanckenberg Legal Practitioners from 2012 to 2022,” the company added.
Before that, he worked as an associate at Atherstone & Cook Legal Practitioners, gaining extensive experience in litigation and commercial law.
Peresuh’s appointment comes in the wake of boardroom disputes that saw Meikles lose over US$5m in market capitalization last year.
In September 2024, the company scheduled an October 1 board meeting to discuss the sale of its 50% stake in the Victoria Falls Hotel. However, during that meeting, board members Rugare Chidembo, James Mushore, Stewart Cranswick, and Simmon Hammond dismissed CEO Malcolm Mycroft, citing concerns over a low offer for the stake.
This decision angered board chairperson John Moxon, who moved to dismiss the four board members through his control of Meikles’ majority shareholder, Meikles Consolidated Holdings (Private) Limited. He argued that Mycroft’s dismissal had not been included in the official board meeting agenda.
Instead of facing removal, Chidembo, Mushore, Cranswick, and Hammond resigned on December 18, 2024—the same day Moxon had scheduled an extraordinary general meeting to oust them.
