De Beers : Philippe Mellier - Investment will be key to capturing long-term success

Addressing a Sightholder reception this evening, during the first De Beers Sight of 2015, Philippe Mellier, Chief Executive, De Beers Group, said that maintaining success in the diamond industry is dependent upon investment to sustain supply, finance and demand.

Mr Mellier pointed to De Beers' investment in mining projects in Botswana, South Africa and Canada to deliver sustainability of supply, in its distribution strategy to ensure the most efficient ways of bringing the product to market, and in the sustainability of demand through Forevermark.

Highlighting the role of Sightholders investing for growth he said: "Whether your focus is on economies of scale, improved use of technology or more efficient distribution, sustainably capturing value in the midstream requires ongoing investment so that your own customers' demand remains strong and reflective of the true value of your product and service proposition."

Marking the first anniversary of Global Sightholder Sales' move from London to Gaborone, Mr Mellier praised "the seamless transition [that] is testament to all the hard work put in by Government, the Sightholders, the local community, and the men and women at the De Beers Group of Companies."

Mr Mellier concluded by saying: "We believe that the industry is approaching one of the greatest periods of opportunity in living memory, and we are committing to major investments across the pipeline so that we can unlock the full value presented by the industry's outstanding fundamentals."

A copy of the speech can be downloaded from www.debeersgroup.com.

Contact

London Press Office
[phone]
[e-mail]

About The De Beers Group of Companies

De Beers is a member of the Anglo American plc group. Established in 1888, De Beers is the world's leading diamond company with unrivalled expertise in the exploration, mining and marketing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers employs more than 23,000 people (directly and as contractors) across the diamond pipeline, and is the world's largest diamond producer by value, with mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. As part of the company's operating philosophy, the people of De Beers are committed to Living up to Diamonds by making a lasting contribution to the communities in which they live and work, and transforming natural resources into shared national wealth.www.debeersgroup.com.