Board of directors

Executive directors

Alan Ashworth (54)

Chief Operating Officer

Alan holds a BSc in mining engineering and has 32 years’ experience in the mining industry. During his career he has worked in numerous countries including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Guinea, Ghana and Russia. He spent 28 years with the De Beers group, including four years as the General Manager of the Namdeb Diamond Corporation and four years as the Group Manager of Operations and Head of Operations for DBCM. From March 2006 until August 2007 he was the Managing Director of Gold Fields, Ghanaian operations in West Africa. Alan joined Gem Diamonds in November 2007 and was appointed to the Board in April 2008.

Kevin Burford (50)

Chief Financial Officer

Kevin has over 20 years’ experience in the mining industry, having worked for De Beers and Anglo American between 1985 and 2005, and Xstrata in 2005. Kevin has held various strategic leadership positions covering finance, supply chain, IT, risk management, internal audit and business strategy. Kevin completed his articles with Coopers and Lybrand in 1984 and is a registered chartered accountant. Kevin joined Gem Diamonds in January 2006.

Glenn Turner (49)

Chief Legal and Commercial Officer

Glenn was called to the Johannesburg Bar in 1987 where he spent 14 years practicing as an advocate specialising in general commercial and competition law, and took silk in 2002. Glenn was appointed De Beers’ first General Counsel in 2002 and was also a member of their executive committee. Glenn was responsible for a number of key initiatives during this tenure at De Beers, including overseeing their re-entry into the USA. Glenn joined Gem Diamonds in May 2006 and was appointed to the Board in April 2008.

Non-executive directors

Roger Davis (52)

Chairman

Roger spent eight years at Barclays, latterly as the CEO of the UK banking operation and as a member of the Board of Barclays Plc. Under his leadership, the UK business was significantly restructured. Prior to that he spent ten years in investment banking in London and various positions in China and India for Flemings and BZW. Roger started his career with a 12-year service in the British Army. He joined Gem Diamonds in February 2007.

Mike Salamon (54)

Senior Independent Director

Mike is mining engineer MBA with over 30 years experience in the mining sector. He was a founding director of Billiton and was instrumental in this company's IPO on the London Stock Exchange in 1997 and subsequent merger with BHP in 2001. Mike retired from his position of Executive Director at BHP Billiton in 2006 and is now the Chairman of New World Resources, a non-Executive Director of CEntral Rand Gold and Co-president of private equity fund AMCI Capital. Mike joined Gem Diamonds in February 2008.

Gavin Beevers (59)

Non-executive Director

Gavin joined De Beers in 1979 in Botswana for a period of eleven years. Thereafter, he was appointed Assistant General Manager at De Beers Marine in Cape Town until 1994, after which he returned to Botswana as General Manager at Orapa and Letlhakane Mines. From January 1996 to March 2000 Gavin held the position of Deputy Managing Director of Debswana Diamond Company. Gavin was the Director of Operations at De Beers from April 2000 until his retirement in 2004. Gavin joined Gem Diamonds in February 2007.

Dave Elzas (42)

Non-executive Director

Dave has over 15 years’ working experience in international investment banking. Between 1994 and 2000, Dave served as a senior executive and subsequently Managing Director of the Beny Steinmetz Group. Dave is currently the Senior Partner and CEO of the Geneva Management Group, an international wealth management and financial services company. Dave joined Gem Diamonds in October 2005.

Richard Williams (42)

Non-executive Director

Richard spent 20 years in the British Army, latterly as the Commanding Officer of the 22 SAS Regiment, during which time he saw service across the Middle East, Latin America and Africa. Richard has an MBA from Cranfield University and a Masters in international security studies from Kings College, London. Richard is the CEO of Chakata Ltd, an investment management company focused on defence and security technologies. Richard joined Gem Diamonds in February 2008.