International News
Consortium Led By Former De Beers CEO Gareth Penny Selected As The Preferred Bidder To Acquire De Beers
Botswana is expected to play a pivotal role in the transaction. The country, together with Namibia, Angola and other shareholders, already owns a 15% stake in De Beers
A consortium headed by former De Beers CEO Gareth Penny has been selected as the preferred bidder to acquire De Beers, according to Botswana’s Minister for State President, Defence and Security, Moeti Mohwasa.
Speaking on the development, Mohwasa said Anglo American conducted a competitive sale process involving three shortlisted bidders before identifying the Global Diamond Consortium as its preferred choice.
Anglo American announced plans to divest De Beers in May 2024 as part of a broader restructuring strategy, driven by prolonged weakness in the diamond market and other business priorities.
The sale process has attracted significant interest from industry leaders and investors. Among those previously linked to the bidding were former De Beers CEO Bruce Cleaver, Australian mining executive Michael O’Keeffe, Indian billionaire Anil Agarwal, and Indian diamond companies KGK Group and Kapu Gems.
Botswana is expected to play a pivotal role in the transaction. The country, together with Namibia, Angola and other shareholders, already owns a 15% stake in De Beers and retains important rights under the shareholder agreement. Mohwasa emphasized that Botswana has the flexibility to either join the preferred bidder as a strategic partner or exercise its pre-emptive rights independently or with another investor.
Industry observers believe the eventual owner will seek to preserve De Beers’ vertically integrated business model, spanning diamond mining, trading and global natural diamond marketing, while positioning the company to benefit from a potential recovery in natural diamond demand and prices.
International News
Dubai Records Highest-Ever Diamond Trade In 2025
Natural Diamonds Continued To Dominate The Market, Contributing US$39.9 billion, Or 96% Of Dubai’s Total Diamond Trade Value In 2025.
Dubai achieved a record performance in its diamond trade in 2025, reaching its highest-ever levels in both value and volume, according to the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC).
The total value of diamond imports and exports increased 16% year-on-year to US$41.7 billion, up from US$35.8 billion in 2024. Trade volume also surged 43% to 359.5 million carats, marking the first time Dubai has recorded all-time highs in both value and physical volume.
DMCC CEO Ahmed Bin Sulayem said the strong performance reflects Dubai’s long-term strategy of building a transparent, connected, and efficient global hub for the diamond trade. Since 2020, diamond trade through Dubai has doubled in volume and grown nearly 140% in value.
Natural diamonds continued to dominate the market, contributing US$39.9 billion, or 96% of Dubai’s total diamond trade value in 2025.
Trade in rough diamonds reached 205.2 million carats, the second-highest volume on record and around 34% higher than in 2024. The value of natural polished diamond trade rose nearly 25% to US$18.7 billion. Since 2020, the value of natural polished diamond trade through Dubai has increased by 246%.
Over the past decade, Dubai’s overall diamond trade has grown 63% in value and 44% in volume, reinforcing its position as one of the world’s leading diamond trading centres.
The emirate also recorded strong growth in other precious stones. Coloured gemstone trade climbed 48% to a record US$1.1 billion, supported by a 69% increase in imports and a 34% rise in exports. Meanwhile, synthetic and industrial diamonds accounted for around 39% of the total diamond trade volume in 2025.
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