Element Six CEO to Step Down

Walter Huehn, CEO of De Beers synthetic-diamond unit Element Six, will leave early next year after almost a decade at the helm.

Huehn saw the business through periods of volatile markets and key strategic developments, De Beers said Friday. The latter include the launch of the group’s Lightbox line of lab-grown diamond jewelry, which entailed the opening of a dedicated production site in Gresham, Oregon. The executive has also driven Element Six’s focus on delivering new uses for synthetic diamonds, including in quantum technology.

Element Six develops and creates synthetic diamond and tungsten-carbide super-materials for a range of industrial applications. Huehn joined as its CEO in March 2013 and will stand down on January 31, 2023. The process to recruit his successor is underway, De Beers noted.

Image: Walter Huehn. (Walter Huehn/LinkedIn)