Barend Petersen Appointed DBCM Executive Chairman

Barend Petersen

(IDEX Online News) - Nicky Oppenheimer, Chairman of the De Beers Group, is stepping down as Chairman of De Beers Consolidated Mines (DBCM), announcing the appointment of acting-CEO Barend Petersen as Executive Chairman of De Beers’ South African mining operation. DBCM Finance Director Philip Barton will become CEO.

As Executive Chairman of DBCM, Petersen will represent the De Beers family of companies in South Africa, the company said in a statement. Petersen will focus on the strategic positioning and growth of DBCM. He is also entrusted with tending to De Beers' relationships with its shareholders, the Government of South Africa, and other stakeholders.

Petersen, a director of DBCM since 2002, is a chartered accountant with broad global business experience, and is a director of several companies, including being a non-executive director of Anglo American South Africa, De Beers Société Anonyme in Luxembourg and a director and shareholder of Ponahalo Holdings, the South African broad based black empowerment company that holds a 26 percent equity interest in DBCM. He is Chairman of the Environment, Community, Occupational Hygiene, Health and Safety Committee of the De Beers Group and a member of the Audit Committee of De Beers Société Anonyme.

DBCM's new CEO Philip Barton has been working for De Beers for more than 20 years, gathering a wealth of operational experience across a number of mining operations and business functions. Having been an integral part of DBCM’s change journey during the past several years, Barton brings an understanding of the company’s operations and production profile, and will advance work already underway to maximise the value of DBCM’s mining portfolio. 

"As I hand-over the Chairmanship, I plan to remain actively engaged in the progress of DBCM," said Oppenheimer, who served as Chairman for 12 years. "I have full confidence in the vision and leadership credentials of Barend and Philip. These two appointments affirm our long-term commitment to our employees and all of South Africa to deliver an efficient and profitable DBCM long into the future.”