DiamondBuzz
Botswana’s VP expresses confidence in ongoing efforts to secure a buyer for De Beers
Botswana’s Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe has expressed strong confidence in the ongoing efforts to secure a buyer for De Beers, as Anglo American prepares to divest from its diamond operations. His remarks, delivered during an interview in Washington, suggest that the process is progressing well and that there is broad international interest in acquiring Anglo’s 85 per cent stake in the iconic diamond company.
The sale comes amid Anglo American’s strategic pivot away from diamonds and other assets to concentrate on copper, a sector currently yielding higher returns. De Beers has seen its valuation decline sharply in recent years, with Anglo having written down its value twice in the past 13 months. Once a cornerstone of the group’s portfolio, De Beers is now valued at $4.1 billion, significantly lower than when Anglo assumed full control in 2012.
Crucially, Gaolathe indicated that Botswana — already holding a 15 per cent stake in De Beers — is considering a substantial increase in its ownership, potentially up to 50 per cent. Such a move would mark a major shift in the company’s ownership structure and could redefine the power dynamics within the global diamond industry. Botswana, as one of the world’s largest diamond producers, has long been a key partner in De Beers’ supply chain, and this increased stake would reinforce its strategic influence over the sector.
The government’s willingness to expand its stake also reflects a broader effort by resource-rich nations to assert greater control over their mineral wealth and to ensure that profits from extraction are more equitably shared. If realized, Botswana’s expanded role in De Beers could serve as a model for other producing countries seeking to balance economic development with stronger national participation in global value chains.
With a sale or IPO expected by the end of 2025, the coming months will be critical in shaping the future of one of the diamond industry’s most storied names. Will Botswana emerge as a dominant shareholder, or will another global player step in? Either way, the outcome is likely to reshape the contours of the international diamond trade.
DiamondBuzz
Dholakia Lab Grown Diamond Secures Over Rs 800 Crore Funding
Funding Earmarked For High-Impact Vertical Scaling and Infrastructural Fortification
Dholakia Lab Grown Diamond (DLGD) has successfully executed a definitive investment agreement, securing over Rs 800 crore in a premier growth-stage funding round. This transaction represents one of the most significant capital injections within India’s Lab-Grown Diamond (LGD) ecosystem. The consortium was led by Abakkus PE, with strategic participation from ICICI Ventures IAF5, Amal Parikh, and a syndicate of high-profile institutional investors.
The newly mobilized liquidity is earmarked for high-impact vertical scaling and infrastructural fortification, specifically:
- Production Augmentation: Substantial investment in high-throughput growing technology to meet burgeoning global demand.
- Liquidity Management: Strengthening the working capital framework to support expansive operational cycles.
- Retail Proliferation: Accelerating the strategic rollout of a comprehensive pan-India retail footprint to capture domestic market share.
In a pivot toward high-margin industrial applications, DLGD is leveraging its proprietary synthesis capabilities to produce high-precision single-crystal diamonds. This initiative positions the firm as a critical component supplier for cutting-edge sectors, including:
- Quantum Computing & Semiconductors: Utilizing diamond’s superior thermal conductivity and electronic properties.
- Defense & Optics: Engineering specialized materials for high-stress aerospace and optical environments.
- Thermal Management: Providing heat-dissipation solutions for next-generation hardware.
Leveraging the multi-decade heritage of the Hari Krishna Group, DLGD maintains a robust, fully integrated value chain. This end-to-end oversight—encompassing synthesis, precision polishing, jewelry artisanal manufacturing, and international distribution—solidifies its competitive advantage in the sustainable luxury corridor.
As a pioneer in the sector, DLGD’s early-mover advantage—evidenced by its successful penetration of the US retail market as early as 2018—provides a seasoned foundation for its current expansion. By bridging the gap between luxury aesthetics and deep-tech utility, DLGD is poised to redefine the economic landscape of synthetic carbon structures on a global scale.
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