De Beers' David Prager and Ryan Perry to Leave

David Prager and Ryan Perry, two of the most senior figures at De Beers, will leave the company next year, with the miner also announcing a new organizational structure and executive committee.

Prager, who is De Beers’ executive vice president and chief brand officer, and Perry, its acting executive vice president of strategy and innovation, will remain on the executive committee while overseeing the transition of their responsibilities to its other members, the company said Monday.

“Throughout his time at De Beers, David’s insight, creativity and leadership have propelled us forward,” said De Beers CEO Al Cook. “He transformed our brand and marketing strategy; managed complex issues in a way that built trust with stakeholders and strengthened our reputation around the world; and he designed a sustainability framework that has protected the natural world, improved people’s lives and deepened our clients’ connection to our diamonds.”

Prager, who joined De Beers in 2006, has been the voice of De Beers’ marketing and branding since Stephen Lussier left the company last year. He also took over from Lussier as chairman of the Natural Diamond Council (NDC) — a position Prager will vacate once the marketing organization’s board has elected a new successor.

Perry joined De Beers in 2002 and has worked in operational and strategic leadership roles. He replaced Neil Ventura when the veteran executive left last year.

Meanwhile, De Beers has appointed Tom Johnson as general counsel from January 1, 2024. He will head the company’s legal and company-secretariat functions and will join the executive committee, having been at De Beers since joining its Element Six synthetic-diamond unit in 2016.

The miner also said its new executive committee was the most diverse in its history, reflecting “the breadth of the business, stretching from its mines in southern Africa and Canada to its jewelry boutiques in Europe, America and Asia.”

The committee now comprises:

Al Cook, CEO, De Beers
Sandrine Conseiller, CEO, De Beers brands
Moses Madondo, CEO, De Beers Managed Operations
Paul Rowley, executive vice president, diamond trading
Riaan Burger, CEO, Namdeb
Siobhan Duffy, CEO, Element Six
Willy Mertens, CEO, Debmarine Namibia
Andrew Motsomi, managing director, Debswana
Alessandra Berridge, executive vice president, business development and partnerships
Burger Greeff, executive head, technical
Tom Johnson, general counsel
Richard Lawson, chief financial officer
Malebogo Mpugwa, chief people officer
Rasila Vaghjiani, executive vice president, corporate affairs and strategy