Anglo American Appoints Bruce Cleaver As De Beers CEO, Effective July 1

(RTTNews) - Mining company Anglo American Plc (AAUKY.PK, AAL.L) announced Friday the appointment of Bruce Cleaver as CEO of the De Beers Group. He succeeds Philippe Mellier, who has decided to step down after five years in the role.

Duncan Wanblad, CEO of Anglo American's Base Metals business, will add the Strategy & Business Development portfolio of Anglo American to his responsibilities. Both appointments will take effect on July 1.

Cleaver served as De Beers' executive director responsible for strategy and commercial relationships until 2015. He also served as Co-Acting CEO for a year prior to Philippe Mellier's appointment in 2011. He was appointed Group Director of Strategy and Business Development for Anglo American in 2015.

Mark Cutifani, Chief Executive of Anglo American and Chairman of De Beers, said, "Bruce's leadership of De Beers' strategy and its commercial and government relationships working alongside Philippe and over much of the last decade, combined with his time working with us to shape the new Anglo American strategy, provide strong continuity at an important stage in the diamond market's recovery."