Al Cook will succeed Bruce Cleaver as CEO of De Beers Group
Following the announcement on 10 October 2022 that Al Cook (above, all images courtesy of De Beers), will succeed Bruce Cleaver as CEO of De Beers Group in early 2023, De Beers Group advises that Al Cook will formally take over the role of CEO on 20 February, with Bruce Cleaver moving into the role of Co-Chair on the same date.
Also Charles Stanley, President of De Beers Brands in North America, is to retire from the business following more than 20 years with De Beers. Charles will hand over his official duties over the course of January and remain through the end of February to ensure a smooth transition. Céline Assimon, CEO of De Beers Jewellers and De Beers Forevermark, will take on Charles’ responsibilities on an interim basis while the process to identify Charles’ permanent successor continues, and an announcement will be made in due course.
Charles rejoined De Beers in 2010 – having previously worked for the business from 1994 to 2003 – and has played a key role in growing the De Beers Forevermark business in North America, overseeing several high-profile campaigns and significant evolutions in the business’s commercial offering, including the development of its e-commerce proposition. Charles also played a central part in representing De Beers in the wider industry through his roles in a range of diamond and jewelry trade associations.
Charles Stanley said: “It has been my pleasure and honor to have worked at De Beers for more than 20 years, first in London and then as President of De Beers Brands North America for the past 12 years. I will leave with great respect for the integrity and values that define the company and the way it works with all its stakeholders and partners in this wonderful industry. I am proud of everything I have been able to accomplish over my time with De Beers, all of which has been made possible by the collaboration and support of my colleagues across the business and our valued partners. To all of you, I would like to say a heartfelt thank you.”
Céline Assimon said: “Since I joined De' Beers, it has been a privilege to be able to call on Charles’ expertise and experience, both as the De Beers Forevermark business has evolved and grown in a fast-changing external environment, and as we have sought to integrate our broader downstream activities into a ‘one De Beers’ approach. Charles’ deep passion for diamonds and the diamond industry has always shone through, and all of us at De Beers thank him for his huge contribution over the years and wish him well for the future during his retirement. While Charles is leaving, I am really looking forward to working even more closely with the excellent De Beers Brands team in the US that he has built over the years while we continue to seek his long-term replacement. As end clients increasingly seek sustainable, branded and digitally-rich diamond offerings, we believe we are perfectly positioned to deliver success for De Beers and our partners in this new diamond world.” Established in 1888, De Beers is the world’s leading diamond company, with unrivalled expertise in the discovery and selection of diamonds, offering a range of jewellery through its two Jewellery Houses. Founded in London, with a flagship store on Old Bond Street and a presence in the most exclusive locations around the world, De Beers Jewellers is the pinnacle of luxury diamond jewellery. Building on De Beers’ 130 years of expertise, the House glorifies the world’s most beautiful diamonds through creativity and craftsmanship in bold, distinctive designs. De Beers Jewellers has 30 stores globally and ships to 15 markets via debeers.com.
De Beers Forevermark is a Jewellery House offering contemporary designs featuring responsibly sourced diamonds that are hand selected for their beauty. Created for marking special moments and wearing every day, Forevermark diamond jewellery is timeless with a twist. De Beers Forevermark jewellery is sold through forevermark.com and approximately 2,400 jeweller locations worldwide. Binding them is a relentless passion for beauty and craftsmanship, resulting in natural diamond jewellery that customers are proud to own and wear forever. De Beers is committed to ensuring all the diamonds it discovers create a lasting positive impact for people and the places where they are found. This comes with a pledge to build a better future – one that is fairer, safer, cleaner and healthier, in which communities thrive, ethical practices are maintained, and the natural environment is protected.
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