After concluding his six-year tenure as CEO in early 2023, Bruce Cleaver is stepping down from his role as co-chair of De Beers' board of directors and resigning from the board of Element Six, the miner's lab-grown diamond manufacturing company.

The move, according to a De Beers spokesperson, was part of the planned leadership transition to Al Cook, Cleaver's successor. Cleaver played a crucial role in finalizing commercial negotiations with the government of the Republic of Botswana during his board tenure. With these objectives achieved and the leadership transition complete, Cleaver has resigned from the boards. He will, however, continue to serve De Beers in an advisory capacity. Duncan Wanblad, CEO of De Beers' parent company Anglo American, will now assume the role of sole chair of the miner's board of directors.