De Beers adds 75 years’ experience to executive committee with new hires

De Beers has made three new appointments to its executive committee, which it says adds 75 years of combined diamond industry experience to the team.

Paul Rowley, executive vice president of global sightholder sales; Neil Ventura, executive vice president of auction sales; and Balisi Bonyongo, CEO of Debswana, will join the executive committee with immediate effect.

Rowley joined De Beers in 1983 and has filled a variety of senior positions in the organisation. He has served on both the DTC Botswana and Namibia DTC boards and was acting CEO of DTC Botswana prior to his current role.

His earlier experience includes key account management, rough diamond purchasing in various African diamond producing countries and heading the Global Sightholder Sales Diamond Division.

Ventura joined De Beers in 1989, gaining experience in both mature and emerging markets, before taking on the position of CEO of Diamdel (now auction sales) in July 2007. Since taking up the role, he has pioneered the firm’s online auctions business.

Bonyongo started his career with Debswana in 1993 as a junior plant metallurgist, holding several senior positions including commissioning manager of the Aquarium diamond processing plant at Jwaneng, the first of its kind in the world. He also held the position of corporate strategy manager before assuming the role of Jwaneng general manager and later chief operating officer of Debswana.

Philippe Mellier, De Beers’ CEO, said: “I am delighted to welcome Paul, Neil and Balisi to the executive committee. Together they have extensive diamond experience and have built reputations as diamond experts, creating value for De Beers and its partners.

“I look forward to working closely with them as we position De Beers for continued growth across the pipeline.”

Image: The entrance of De Beers’ Snap Lake Diamond Mine, Northwest Territories, Canada.