Canadian Jeweller magazine is set to witness a significant shift in leadership at De Beers, as senior executives David Prager and Ryan Perry prepare to depart in the coming year. This announcement coincides with the unveiling of a revamped organizational framework and a newly formed executive committee at the renowned mining company.
David Prager, serving as the Executive Vice President and Chief Brand Officer, alongside Ryan Perry, the acting Executive Vice President of Strategy and Innovation, will continue their roles on the executive committee during the transition period. Their primary focus will be to smoothly transfer their duties to other committee members, as stated by De Beers on Monday.
De Beers CEO Al Cook lauded Prager’s contributions, highlighting his pivotal role in brand and marketing strategy evolution, stakeholder trust-building, and the development of a sustainability framework that has significantly benefited the environment and communities, while enhancing the allure of De Beers’ diamonds.
Prager, a De Beers veteran since 2006, has been instrumental in shaping the company’s marketing and branding, especially following Stephen Lussier’s departure last year. He also succeeded Lussier as the chairman of the Natural Diamond Council (NDC), a role he will relinquish upon the election of a new chairperson by the NDC board.
Ryan Perry’s journey with De Beers began in 2002, encompassing various operational and strategic leadership roles. He stepped into Neil Ventura’s shoes following Ventura’s exit last year.
In another significant move, De Beers has announced Tom Johnson as the new General Counsel, effective January 1, 2024. Johnson, who joined De Beers in 2016 at its Element Six synthetic-diamond division, will oversee the legal and company-secretariat functions and will be a part of the executive committee.
De Beers proudly noted that its new executive committee is the most diverse in its history, representing a wide spectrum of the company’s global operations, from mining activities in southern Africa and Canada to its jewelry boutiques across Europe, America, and Asia.
