De Beers bolsters executive committee

The De Beers Group of Companies has made three new appointments to its Executive Committee, adding 75 years of diamond experience. 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. Paul 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 also includes key account management, rough diamond purchasing in various African diamond producing countries and heading the Global Sightholder Sales Diamond Division. Neil 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 on this role, he has established De Beers as a market leader in the sale of rough diamonds to small, mid-size and large manufacturing, retailing and trading businesses via online auctions.

Balisi Bonyongo started his career with Debswana in 1993 as a junior Plant Metallurgist, holding several senior positions including the critical role of 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.