De Beers Names Kevin Smith Interim COO as Veteran Executive Burger Greeff Retires De Beers has appointed Kevin Smith, currently Executive VP of Corporate Affairs & Strategy, as interim Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective 1 December 2025. He succeeds Burger Greeff, who is retiring after 30 years with the group. “As COO, Burger has brought integrity, strategic foresight, and unwavering commitment to our purpose. His contributions have helped shape our operations and inspired many across
Botswana and Angola Meet to Discuss Cooperation on De Beers Sale as Africa’s Diamond Market Shifts Botswana and Angola held high-level talks in Gaborone, Botswana, as both countries position themselves to gain control of De Beers, the diamond unit that Anglo American is selling as part of a corporate restructuring. Botswana’s Mines Minister Bogolo Joy Kenewendo and Angola’s Mineral Resources Minister Diamantino Pedro Azevedo met privately for approximately 40 minutes before making brief comments to
Angola Diamond Production Hits 10.7 Million Carats in 2025 as Country Aims for Record 14.8 Million Angola’s rough diamond production reached 10.7 million carats in the nine months to September, according to government data released on Friday, as the southern African nation pushes toward another record year for output. The country — already the world’s third-largest diamond producer behind Russia and Botswana — achieved a record 14 million carats in 2024 and is now targeting
Angola Rules Out Using National Budget to Fund Endiama’s Bid for De Beers Stake Angola will not use public funds to finance state-owned diamond company Endiama’s proposed acquisition of a stake in De Beers, Finance Minister Vera Daves de Sousa confirmed on Friday. Endiama has reportedly submitted a bid for a majority stake in De Beers, the diamond unit of Anglo American, according to a source familiar with the matter who spoke to Reuters on
Angola submits bid for Anglo American’s De Beers stake as Botswana and investor groups compete Angola has submitted a formal offer to acquire Anglo American’s 85% majority stake in De Beers, joining a growing list of potential buyers that includes Botswana and investor groups led by former De Beers executives. State-owned Angolan diamond producer Endiama presented a “concrete and well-defined proposal” and is moving forward with subsequent steps, said CEO José Manuel Ganga Júnior, who
Moody’s cuts Botswana’s rating to Baa1, citing diamond market downturn and rising government debt Global credit ratings agency Moody’s Investors Service has downgraded Botswana’s sovereign credit rating from ‘A3’ to ‘Baa1’, citing mounting challenges as the government struggles to adjust to a structural decline in the diamond industry and a rising debt burden. “The economy remains heavily reliant on capital-intensive diamond mining; diversification efforts lag due to reform delays, while exposure to climate shocks persists,”
Lab-grown diamond demand drops amid oversupply; consumers shift back to natural diamonds, says World Diamond Council president Lab-grown diamonds are rapidly losing their shine as oversupply floods the market and prices plummet, prompting consumers to rediscover the allure of natural stones, according to World Diamond Council President Feriel Zerouki. After reaching record highs in early 2022, natural diamond prices slumped in the second half of the year—largely due to the rising popularity of lab-grown gems,
Debswana Announces Plans to Diversify Beyond Diamonds, Leveraging 55 Years of Mining Expertise Debswana, the mining powerhouse that has been the backbone of Botswana’s economy for over 55 years, is charting a new course beyond its traditional diamond business. Speaking at the African Mining Summit in Gaborone this morning, Bakani Motlhabani, Chief Technical Officer at Debswana Diamond Company, revealed that the firm is exploring diversification opportunities to sustain long-term growth as diamond resources decline. “We
Okavango Diamond Company to Launch Contract Diamond Sales in November as Botswana Diversifies Marketing Channels Botswana’s state-owned Okavango Diamond Company (ODC) will begin selling diamonds to contracted buyers next month as part of its strategy to diversify sales channels under the government’s new 10-year agreement with De Beers, Managing Director Mmetla Masire announced on Wednesday. Under the revised deal, signed in February 2025, ODC’s allocation from Debswana—a 50:50 joint venture between the Botswana government and
Johannes !Gawaxab Calls for Extended Royalty Relief for Namdeb as Global Diamond Prices Decline Namibia’s central bank governor, Johannes !Gawaxab, has called for an extension of the royalty discount granted to Namdeb to help the diamond miner navigate a prolonged global market downturn characterized by weak demand and a supply surplus. The diamond industry is facing mounting pressure from the growing popularity of lab-grown diamonds and a declining appetite for natural stones among younger consumers—factors
