FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WITH PICTURES
SEPTEMBER 12, 2025
UNEARTHING POTENTIAL: TUPOCHE MAKILENI’S JOURNEY TO LABORATORY LEADERSHIP
LILONGWE, MALAWI – For as long as she can remember, Tupoche Makileni has been fascinated by the earth beneath her feet. Growing up in Malawi as the only girl among three brothers, with a teacher for a mother and an IT technician for a father, she found herself constantly asking: What are things made of? Where do these materials come from? Those early questions lit a spark that has carried her into a groundbreaking role at the heart of Malawi’s mining sector.
Today, Tupoche – 34, leads the country’s first high-tech mineral laboratory at Sovereign Services, overseeing the processing of rutile and graphite samples and managing a team of 33 professionals—25% of them women.
Her path began with A-levels and a Bachelor of Science in Earth Sciences (Geology) from the University of Malawi’s Chancellor College. In 2017, she joined the Ministry of Mining under the Geological Survey Department, before Sovereign Services spotted her talent in 2019 and brought her on as a consultant. By 2022, she had risen to Laboratory Manager, steering a facility that sets the standard for accuracy, quality, and innovation.
Her mornings start with precision—planning resources, equipment, and workflows to ensure smooth operations. But it’s more than technical skill that drives her. “Drawing inspiration from daily challenges and being able to be a solution provider inspires me to come to work every day,” she says.
In a male-dominated industry, Tupoche is proof that leadership thrives on empowerment. She ensures every team member has a voice and a stake in the lab’s success. Her management style blends sharp analysis with empathy, enabling her to guide operations while nurturing talent.
Beyond the lab, she is also a wife and mother to a 1 year old daughter, and she hopes her journey shows that excellence and balance are possible. Her advice to other women forging careers in science and mining: “Work hard, stay curious, stay focused—and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. This field is always evolving, and so should you.”
What she values most about Sovereign Services is its culture of opportunity and growth. “Regardless of gender, everyone is encouraged to develop their skills through continuous training and to rise based on capability,” she notes.
From a little girl curious about rocks to a trailblazing leader unlocking the potential of Malawi’s mineral wealth, Tupoche’s story is proof that perseverance, passion, and purpose can shape both a career and a legacy.
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About Sovereign Services
Sovereign Services is the Malawi operation of Sovereign Metals Limited, which is focused on developing its Kasiya Rutile-Graphite Project in Malawi to become a leading global supplier to the titanium and graphite industries.
Kasiya is the world’s largest natural rutile deposit – the purest, highest-grade naturally occurring titanium feedstock – and the world’s second-largest flake graphite deposit – a battery mineral essential for the energy transition.
www.sovereignmetals.com.au
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