De Beers CEO says sale could be completed within weeks
De Beers chief executive officer, Al Cook says the long-running sale of the diamond producer could be concluded within weeks, with governments from southern Africa and experienced industry investors expressing interest in acquiring stakes in the company.
CHAMWE KAIRA
De Beers chief executive officer, Al Cook says the long-running sale of the diamond producer could be concluded within weeks, with governments from southern Africa and experienced industry investors expressing interest in acquiring stakes in the company.
In Namibia, De Beers is a 50/50% partner with the government in Debmarine, Namdeb and the Namibia Diamond Trading Company.
Speaking at the Reuters NEXT Europe summit in London, Cook said negotiations had reached their most advanced stage after two years of discussions.
“I am hopeful that the sale of De Beers will happen in weeks rather than months going forward,” he said.
“It’s been a two-year period, there have been a lot of negotiations, and we have never been closer than we are to a sale,” he said during a discussion monitored by Observer Money.
