Rio Tinto Diamonds, has by the way of a new appointment announced Bill Champion as its new managing director. Champion begins his tenure from November 1st, and will give up his current position of managing director at Kennecott Utah Copper, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto in the US.

Champion would be replacing Steve Hodgson, who will join the new company Rio Tinto Alcan. Champion will be based in London and would handle the entire portfolio of Rio Tinto’s diamond mining operations - the Argyle mine, the Diavik mine and the Murowa mine and Rio Tinto Diamonds NV.

Other recent appointments at Rio Tinto Diamond NV include that of Jean-Marc Lieberherr appointed as the general manager for sales and marketing, and who will take responsibility for the Antwerp operation, Mumbai and New York representative offices and the Perth based Argyle pink diamond business.