Nicky Oppenheimer, chairman of the De Beers Group, today
announced that Barend Petersen has been appointed executive chairman of the
company’s South African mining operation, De Beers Consolidated Mines. Petersen
will take over from Oppenheimer, who served as chairman for 12 years.
Oppenheimer will continue to sit on the Board of DBCM and serve as Chairman of
the wider De Beers Group.

As executive chairman of DBCM, Petersen assumes the
company’s most senior role and will represent the De Beers Family of Companies
in South Africa. He will focus on the strategic positioning and growth.

Peterson is a chartered accountant with broad global
business experience, and is a director of several companies, including being a
non-executive director of Anglo American South Africa, De Beers Société Anonyme
in Luxembourg and a director and shareholder of Ponahalo Holdings, the South
African broad based black empowerment company that holds a 26% equity interest
in DBCM. He is Chairman of the Environment, Community, Occupational Hygiene,
Health and Safety Committee of the De Beers Group and a member of the Audit
Committee of De Beers Société Anonyme.

Prior to the appointment, Petersen had been serving as the
acting-CEO of DBCM. Philip Barton, DBCM finance director, will become CEO of DBCM.

JCK