FlORENT LAGER , President of the Fedaration of Solide Mines Of Congo, Deputy General Administrator – MPD Congo S.A.U
Since April 2015, Florent Lager has been in-country manager of MPD Congo (a subsidiary of the Glencore group and Zanaga Iron Ore Company) which is developing the “Zanaga Project” in the Republic of Congo (Congo Brazzaville). The Zanaga Project is a world-class iron ore project involving an open-pit mine, pipeline and mineral port.
For five years (2010 to 2015), he was the General Counsel of MPD Congo and was in charge of drafting and negotiating the various administrative documents of the Project in conjunction with the general management (mining operating agreement, certificate of environmental compliance, operating permit, etc.).
Florent Lager is also the President of the Mining Federation of Congo since 2020. He was previously the Vice-President (2015 to 2020) and the Secretary General (2011 to 2015). This Federation aims to develop a healthy, transparent and inclusive mining sector in the Republic of Congo by placing a strong emphasis on local content, social and environmental aspects of mining projects, and the infrastructure necessary for the realization of industrial mining projects, the legal framework and good governance.
This Federation is in partnership with other mining federations in Central Africa, and in particular UMIGA in Gabon, in order to develop a network of exchanges between mining operators.
Florent is also a member of the Executive Committee of EITI Congo since 2012 as a representative of mining companies.
He began his career in 2004 as a lawyer in several companies and then became a lawyer at the Paris Bar and was an associate in a niche law firm based in Paris specializing in legal and tax advice for investments in the mining sectors, oil and infrastructure (PPP, concession and public procurement) and has carried out numerous field missions mainly in French-speaking Africa (Guinea, Madagascar, Congo, DRC, Central African Republic, etc.).
Florent Lager holds a Magistère in Economic Activities Law and Master 2 research in Contract and Property Law from the University of Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne and a Master 2 business in European Business Law from the University of Paris 5 René Descartes. He is also graduate from the Paris Bar school.
He regularly participates in fact-finding missions on the mining sector and has made numerous presentations at conferences and seminars in Africa and Europe (ICC, UNCTAD, CBFP, Commission Afrique du Barreau de Paris, CADEV, IDLO, etc.). He has also published about twenty articles in specialized journals.