De Beers Group announced on 27 May that Bruce Cleaver, current group director of strategy and business development for Anglo American PLC, will succeed Philippe Mellier as the diamond giant’s chief executive on 1 July.
Cleaver served as De Beer’s executive director responsible for strategy and commercial relationships until 2015, also serving as co-acting CEO for a year prior to Melliers’s appointment in 2011, according to a De Beers statement.
Cleaver said: “Diamonds are as relevant to today’s consumers, all over the world, as they were to their parents and their parents before them. Diamonds have also made positive contributions to a host of countries that have used their revenues wisely, to communities and to all who have been touched by their mystique and the practical benefits of responsible mining and ethical sourcing. As the world continues to evolve ever more rapidly, it is our task to ensure that we remain as relevant as we are today and to grow our position in the luxury world.”
Stepping down after serving De Beers for five years, Melliers said: “I have been privileged to lead such an iconic company as De Beers with its rich history, great people and culture, and truly unique product offering,” Mellier said in a statement. “As I committed at the outset in 2011, I envisaged a five-year plan with the team and the board to reset De Beers on its current path. Having steered through some of the diamond industry’s toughest times and with the market showing signs of recovery, now is the right time for me to pass the baton to the next generation.”
UK-based mining company Anglo American owns 85 percent of De Beers. (Photo courtesy: De Beers)
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