Council Members and Leadership
Our member companies are the bedrock of the Natural Diamond Council. As well as providing the financial resources we need to fulfil our mission, they offer strategic leadership on NDC’s priorities. All NDC members follow a set of rigorous requirements to uphold the highest standards of integrity through the diamond value chain.
Collectively, our member companies are responsible for a significant portion of the world’s rough diamond production, with operations in Canada and Africa. NDC members are deeply committed to supporting sustainable development in the diamond-producing countries in which they operate. They prioritize creating safe, high-quality jobs and strive to source goods and services locally.
Council Members
Okavango Diamond Company (ODC), located in Gaborone, Botswana, is a rough diamond marketing company wholly owned by the Botswana Government. It offers a global customer base open access to the full range of rough diamonds sourced from the country. With access to 25% of Debswana’s run-of-mine production, ODC is an important supplier to the market with sales in the region of $900 million per annum. Committed to building consumer confidence, ODC runs an open and transparent sales model with prices set by the market via a dynamic online bidding process.
Petra Diamonds, established in 1997 in the UK, is a leading independent diamond mining group with four active mines: Finsch, Cullinan, and Koffiefontein in South Africa and Williamson in Tanzania. Koffiefontein is no longer in operation and has been placed into care and maintenance ahead of closure or a potential sale. Petra is a constituent of the FTSE4Good Index, which measures the performance of companies demonstrating strong environmental, social, and governance practice.
Rio Tinto, founded in 1873, with headquarters in the UK and Australia, operates a global diamond business that employs 1,200 people. In addition to being active in diamond exploration in Africa and Canada, Rio Tinto is the owner and operator of the Diavik Diamond Mine in the Northwest Territories of Canada and the owner and manager of the Argyle Pink Diamonds™ brand. Rio Tinto was a founding member and the first mining company to be certified by the Responsible Jewelry Council. It has also taken an active role in the World Diamond Council, which represents the diamond industry in the Kimberley Process to establish mechanisms for guaranteeing that diamonds are conflict-free.
RZM Murowa, founded in 2004, is the majority owner and operator of the Murowa diamonds mine in Zimbabwe. The mine employs almost 900 people with 46 percent of the workforce coming from the local community. The company is a key development partner in the surrounding communities and has worked with authorities to maintain roads, water management, bridge and road construction, as well as provide electricity for healthcare centers and schools.
De Beers Group is the world’s leading diamond company with expertise in the exploration, recovery, sales, and marketing of diamonds. The Group is the world’s largest diamond producer by value, with production operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia, and South Africa. Innovation sits at the heart of its strategy as it develops a portfolio of brands, including De Beers Jewelers and Forevermark, as well as a range of other pioneering solutions. These include the blockchain-enabled traceability platform, Tracr; the De Beers Institute of Diamonds’ Origin suite of services focused on diamond provenance; and the diamond sourcing initiative aimed at supporting formalization in the small-scale and artisanal mining sector, GemFair.
De Beers Group employees are focused on ‘Building Forever,’ their commitment to creating a positive lasting impact that will endure well beyond the discovery of their last diamond. Building Forever is a holistic and integrated approach for creating a better future – one that is fairer, safer, cleaner, and healthier; where safety, human rights, and ethical integrity continue to be paramount; and where communities thrive and the environment is protected. From their mining operations in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Canada, through to the stores where they sell their diamonds, Building Forever guides De Beers Group’s work, decisions, and behaviors.
Through Building Forever and their enduring commitment to the protection of human rights and safety, De Beers Group strive to protect the natural world, partner for thriving communities, accelerate equal opportunity, and lead ethical best practices across the industry.
Board of Directors
BOARD CHAIR: Sandrine Conseiller, Chief Executive Officer, De Beers Brands
Sandrine joins the NDC Board and De Beers from Maus Freres Brands Group. She spent eight years at the Group, most recently as CEO of Aigle and before that, Group Marketing and Branding Executive Vice President for Lacoste. For almost two decades before joining Maus Freres Brands Group, Sandrine enjoyed leadership roles at Unilever spanning marketing, general management and audit disciplines across various geographies.
VICE CHAIR: Patrick Coppens, General Manager, Sales and Marketing, Rio Tinto
Patrick has served as General Manager of Sales and Marketing for Rio Tinto’s Diamonds business for almost 14 years. He holds a Graduate Degree in Diamonds and Diamond Grading from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and is a qualified Investment Adviser from the EHSAL Management School in Brussels. He has more than 30 years of experience in rough and polished diamond sales, marketing and business development, having been closely involved in the commercialisation of diamond mines across different continents. Patrick is based in Antwerp, Belgium, and has worked across a global diamond portfolio from mine to market that has included Australia, Canada, Africa, China, Japan, the US and Europe.
Richard Duffy, Chief Executive Officer, Petra Diamonds Limited
Richard has spent more than 30 years working in the global mining industry, initially with Anglo American plc and then AngloGold Ashanti Limited, since its inception in 1998. In 2008, he was appointed Executive Vice President, Africa Region and continued in this role until January 2010 when he began overseeing operations in Namibia, Tanzania, Guinea, Ghana and Mali and a joint venture in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In 2013, Richard was appointed Chief Financial Officer and was tasked with overseeing all financial matters, including the formulation and execution of financial business strategy, debt and equity financing. In 2015, Richard became the Co-Founder and Director of Africa Energy Management Platform, a private energy company targeting industrial and mining clients in sub-Saharan Africa. He joined Petra Diamonds as CEO in April 2019.
Mmetla Masire, Managing Director, Okavango Diamond Company
Mmetla Masire was appointed Okavango Diamond Company (ODC) Managing Director in July 2021. Before joining the ODC, he was Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Green Technology & Energy Security. Over the years, he has held many senior positions and served on several boards including De Beers, Debswana, Diamond Trading Company Botswana and Minerals Development Company Botswana. He is currently the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Sir Ketumile Masire Foundation and the President of Botswana Cycling Association. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) in Electrical & Electronics from the University of Wales.
Shon Randhawa, Chairperson, The Gem Group
Shon manages investments across several industries and geographies, with specialist experienced in start-ups. She leads a family office behind The Gem Group, supervising its mining, real estate, private equity and other investment portfolios. She also co-founded Byesse Group in 2006 to provide seed capital and expertise to fashion start-ups, helping to establish two labels. Shon holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce from Delhi University, India, along with post-graduate diplomas in Fashion Design from the London College of Fashion and National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi. She divides her time between India, Africa, Europe and the MENA region. NDC Offices & Leadership Team
Executive Leadership
Raluca Anghel, Global Head of External Affairs and Industry Relations, is responsible for global external engagement and public affairs. Raluca heads the ASSURE Program and leads consumer protection and industry impact communication initiatives. She also spearheads communication and marketing efforts in Europe. During her career, Raluca skilfully coordinated Microsoft’s European storytelling agenda before transitioning to the European Institutions. She has also held the role of Spokesperson for the Romanian Presidency of the European Union Council. With an extensive 12-year tenure in Brussels, Raluca now lives in the UK.
Kristina Buckley Kayel, Managing Director & CMO of North America, steers Only Natural Diamonds, the consumer facing editorial platform, advertising campaigns, trade and retail partnerships, education, press and consumer insights. Kristina oversaw marketing and communications at Van Cleef & Arpels for over a decade. She has also held senior marketing roles at Baccarat, Bottega Veneta and Ferragamo. Kristina currently lives in New York.
David Kellie, Chief Executive Officer, has more than 30 years of experience in leading marketing campaigns for some of the most influential brands around the world. David previously oversaw the marketing launch of the UK’s largest luxury timepiece retailer, Watches of Switzerland Group, into the US. Prior to that, he spent 15 years with Ralph Lauren initially in Geneva, Switzerland and then in New York where he led the global marketing and advertising teams across the full portfolio of brands and business. David currently lives in in the UK.
Richa Singh, Managing Director of India and Middle East, has worked in luxury marketing for over 25 years. An innovative strategist, Richa has a deep understanding of the luxury consumer landscape and leads the execution of consumer and partner facing activations aimed at boosting the natural diamond category. Richa has held senior positions at L’Oreal where she helped scale up and build brands across diverse categories encompassing beauty and luxury products. Richa currently lives in Mumbai, India.
Katja Thoelen, Chief Financial Officer, has worked with global companies across several industries for more than two decades. Katja is responsible for managing finance, accounting, legal, tax and human resources. Katja has held senior positions at Xella, DME Europe, ITAB Shop Concept, British Petroleum Belgium, and currently lives in Antwerp, Belgium.
Sissi Xu, Managing Director of Greater China, champions natural diamonds among Chinese consumers and nurtures key retail and trade partnerships in the region. Drawing on nearly two decades of experience in marketing and brand promotion, Sissi directs strategic marketing, communication, training and education initiatives. With a professional background in PR and marketing of luxury goods, she brings a deep knowledge of the lifestyle industry and millennial consumers in China.
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